DETROIT, Mich. — Cass Tech will host the Detroit FIRST Robotics Competition March 12-13, with Michigan State University as a major sponsor of the event, bringing 39 teams representing 18 southeast Michigan cities to compete in creating robots that will fulfill specific challenges.
The FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, Robotics competition combines the excitement of sport with science and technology to help high school students discover the rewards of a career in engineering or technological research. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Michigan State has provided financial support, uniforms, electrical generators, volunteers and more to help Cass Tech run the event. MSU students are also mentoring a team from Martin Luther King High School. Teams from Detroit, Flint, Southfield, Troy, Waterford and others will be competing at the Cass Tech event, with winners going on to the state championships in Ypsilanti April 1-3. Winners there go to the national championship in Atlanta April 15-16.
The competition is modeled after traditional high school athletics. This year's teams will compete in a fast-paced soccer tournament, with remote-controlled robots moving balls toward a goal while operators stand on the sidelines. The robots also can score by doing chin ups and taking other actions.
“Our students are excited about the opportunity to show their skills and host this competition here at Cass Tech,” said Principal Lenora Ashford. “We could not have done this without the extraordinary contributions of Michigan State University.”
MSU College of Engineering Dean Satish Udpa said the MSU volunteers enjoy the competition as much as the high school students who participate. “Introducing young people to the joys of engineering is a great experience for our students and faculty who volunteer. And the high school youths quickly learn that engineering can be their path to a prosperous future, one that need not be intimidating.”
More information about the FIRST in Michigan Robotics Competition can be found at www.FIRSTinMichigan.org.
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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150 years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical problem solving.