The VEX Robotics competitors was an thrilling alternative for STEM college students to use what they’ve realized in a real-world setting. Erik Parker ’25, president of the College’s Robotics Membership, displays on the thrilling expertise.
February 16, 2024
As an advocate for advancing STEM schooling, I firmly imagine that STEM serves because the cornerstone for international progress. For my part, everybody ought to have entry to alternatives inside the realm of STEM. VEX Robotics, an academic robotics system made for this actual purpose, offers college students with avenues to discover aggressive robotics in methods by no means earlier than potential.
We lately hosted a contest occasion within the Beckerman Recreation Middle, offering 38 groups of native highschool college students with a technique to exhibit their STEM abilities. Organizing this occasion was a group effort between my group and the college. The Robotics Membership e-board took cost of recruiting a gaggle of individuals to assist with set-up and teardown and boy did we’d like them. We confirmed up with a small military of roughly 35 individuals and jumped into motion. A couple of hours of labor later, the Beckerman Middle was reworked right into a robotics competitors space match for almost 200 college students.
Together with gathering a gaggle of volunteers, we designed and crafted medals for the rivals to go together with their trophies. Robotics e-board member Marc Santacapita ’25 designed the medals, which have been then 3D printed with resin expertise, offering a high-quality completed product at hand out to the rivals.
![A room full of students working on robotics equipment.](https://www.newhaven.edu/_resources/images/engineering/news/2024/vex-stem.jpg)
‘Actual-world STEM functions’
Through the occasion, my group and I juggled a number of duties, together with subject reset, group queueing, managing the abilities subject, and a lot extra. It is value emphasizing that none of this could have been potential with out the distinctive dedication of the whole group. Regardless of the relentless calls for of the day, they rose to the event admirably, guaranteeing the occasion ran seamlessly from begin to end.
After an extended two days, solely cleanup remained. Regardless of exhaustion and with no single grievance, my group had no hesitation to leap in and begin tearing down the fields. Invoice McDonough, representing VEX from the Connecticut Know-how Engineering Training Affiliation, talked about that our occasion was one of many smoothest he’d skilled.
![Students collaborate during the competition.](https://www.newhaven.edu/_resources/images/engineering/news/2024/vex-students.jpg)
I’m immensely grateful for my unbelievable group for making this entire occasion potential and for offering college students with an occasion to interact with real-world STEM functions.
Erik Parker ’25 is {an electrical} and laptop engineering main on the College of New Haven and serves as president of the Robotics Membership.
![Students working together on a robot.](https://www.newhaven.edu/_resources/images/engineering/news/2024/vex-robotics.jpg)