Albany State partners with STREAMWORKS for Robotics Competition
Albany State University has partnered with Marine Advanced Technology Education (M.A.T.E.) STREAMWORKS to assist in their efforts in educating young students about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
“Albany State University is proud to partner with the M.A.T.E. Underwater Robotics Competition. This is a great opportunity that encourages students to learn and apply STEM to create solutions for important issues we face,” said ASU Vice President of Institutional Advancement A.L. Fleming.
M.A.T.E. STREAMWORKS held their first underwater robotics competition with Baconton Community Charter School on Friday, May 21 at the Jones Brothers Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) Complex. This competition was the first of its kind in Albany.
“This event was a pilot test for a larger event to involve schools from all over Southwest Georgia. The kids have been working hard for about eight weeks inventing these machines. There are multiple tasks the robots must accomplish in the pool within 5 minutes. All of this is designed to encourage kids to pursue a career in STEM,” said Founding and Executive Director and Regional Coordinator of STREAMWORKS Dennis Courtney.
Participants designed and built a remotely operated vehicle and the necessary sensors and tooling to tackle the real-world problems of plastics in our ocean, climate change’s impact on coral reefs, and the consequences of poor environmental practices on our inland waterways.
The winners of the competition are 7th graders Aby Shumate, Kennady Hurst, and Amekah Keaton.
“We built a bigger frame, then sized it down to put in the motor. Then we had to stabilize the machine, and sauter the wires together. The net is on the machine to catch the ping pong balls in the water which represent plastic in the ocean,” said the girls.
The students used PVC pipe and connecters, pool noodles, net and more to build the machines.