MdBioLab
Here you will find detailed explanations, as well as informative videos, about the various types of careers one may be interested in if they are considering a career in bioscience.  This new website also links to additional resources beyond this site to further the students research as well as gives them resources to various educational opportunities, such as internships, in the state of Maryland.

Careers in Bioscience

MdBioLab will hold a chemistry curriculum workshop on July 10 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Baltimore to develop a new activity for use on the mobile lab. Participants will receive a stipend. To register, or for mor information, please visit the MdBioLab website.

NACLO (North American Computational Linguistics Olympiad) is a competition for students in grades 6-12. You'll get to solve puzzles about language for a chance to win a spot to represent the US in the International Linguistics Olympiad.

What is computational linguistics?
Computational linguistics (or CL) is the science of understanding human language using logic, computer algorithms, and math. It is all around us! You use CL whenever you use Google, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, Yahoo, and many other websites and applications. Here are some examples of computational linguistics in action.

How do I register?
Click here to register. Registration is free for all high school and middle school students. Be sure to select Johns Hopkins as your test location.

Towson University’s Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching Project (BEST) is now accepting applications for its 2012-2013 Cohort. The application deadline is December 19, 2011. Information about the application process and an electronic application form can be found on our website http://www.towson.edu/cse/best/application/index.asp
The BEST Project is a year-long professional development program for secondary-level science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teachers. Applicants must hold MSDE certification and must be tenured by the end of the 2011-2012 school year. The foundation of BEST is a 6-week authentic research experience at a Baltimore-area college, university, or government facility. Research internships will take place during the summer of 2012 and will be arranged by BEST Project staff. Actual dates for the summer internship will be determined by each teacher-researcher pair, but all internships will take place between June 18th and August 17th. For a list of this year’s sponsoring institutions and a summary of this past summer’s research activities, please visit http://www.towson.edu/cse/best/2011-2012_teacher_interns.asp
In addition to enhancing their content knowledge and pedagogical skills, teachers successfully fulfilling BEST Project requirements will receive:

1. A $4,200 stipend for their summer research experience.
2. A $1,000 stipend for school-year professional development and research-based outreach activities.
3. Up to $1,000 for classroom supplies and/or to support STEM-related student activities or clubs.
4. Pre-paid outreach activities such as visits to SciTech (Columbus Center), classroom visits by Project ASTRO, and the use of the Maryland Loaner Lab or MDBioLab.
5. 5 MSDE Continuing Professional Development credits.

Thank you for sharing information about this exciting professional development opportunity with your secondary-level department chairs, content leaders, and teachers. If my schedule permits, I am available to present BEST Project information at upcoming system-level or department meetings.
BEST regards,
Julie

Julie Damico
Director
Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching (BEST) Project
Towson University
701 East Pratt Street, Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21202-3186
tel. 410-385-6321
fax. 410-385-6367
jdamico@towson.edu
www.towson.edu/cse/BEST

Call for students to develop innovative products to solve real-world challenges 5th annual Spirit of Innovation Challenge continues its quest to transform STEM education

HOUSTON — Recently, Nancy Conrad, founder and chairman of the Conrad Foundation, officially launched the 2011-2012 Spirit of Innovation Challenge<http://www.conradawards.org/> to encourage students to create technologies and products that solve global issues. For the past four years, the Innovation competition has helped transform the way science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is being embraced by high school students.

“If we are to ignite passion for STEM education, we must embrace an academic plan to focus on the relevance of the knowledge we share with our students,” said Conrad. “Memorizing facts to pass a test just won’t do the job. The hallmark of America’s culture is innovation and entrepreneurship. It’s how we got to the moon. It’s how companies like Apple, Facebook and Google were formed. It is how our country will continue to explore the universe, discover cures for disease and become good stewards of the world we share with our global neighbors.”

Hosted by the Conrad Foundation<http://www.conradawards.org/about>, the Spirit of Innovation Challenge invites high school teams to use STEM skills in developing commercially viable, technology-based products. It is the only competition of its kind to combine education, innovation and entrepreneurship, giving students the tools they need to succeed and sustain a knowledge-based economy.

“Using a network of world-renowned scientists, engineers, academics and business leaders, the competition connects teams with mentors to assist in making their ideas a reality,” said Jennifer Fotherby, executive director, Spirit of Innovation Challenge. “We are thrilled by the support and collaboration from global industry leaders in this year’s program.”

The 2011-2012 Spirit of Innovation Challenge is supported by Lockheed Martin<http://www.lockheedmartin.com/> and PepsiCo<http://www.pepsi.com/> and in partnership with U.S. Department of State<http://www.state.gov/> and NASA<http://www.nasa.gov/>. Additional corporate and organizational involvement from, Kraft Foods<http://www.kraft.com/> and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute<http://www.nsbri.org/> is allowing for rapid program growth. This year’s Challenge Partners who provide experts, mentors and judges for the student entries include: the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics<http://www.aiaa.org> Foundation (Aerospace Exploration), The William James Foundation<http://www.williamjamesfoundation.org/> (Clean Energy) and the American Society for Nutrition<http://www.nutrition.org> (Health and Nutrition).

Interested student teams draft an online abstract that addresses five questions about their innovative idea for first-round judging. From there, selected semi-finalists in each challenge category – Aerospace Exploration, Clean Energy, and Health and Nutrition – develop a business plan, technical plan and graphical representation of the team’s product or innovation. The top five teams from each category will travel to the annual Innovation Summit<http://www.conradawards.org/competition/inovation>, hosted at NASA-Ames Research Center (Moffitt Field, CA), March 29-31, 2012, where they present their innovations and vie for awards and commercialization opportunities.

The Conrad Foundation is also currently in discussion with the Department of State about sending the winners of the 2011-2012 Spirit of Innovation Challenge to Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development<http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/>. Winning teams would present their work in conjunction with the official U.S. delegation led by the Department of State. This event will allow Spirit of Innovation winning teams a lifetime experience of joining diplomats, scientists, sustainability experts and other leaders to take a forward look on pressing global needs and opportunities for creative problem-solving.

This year’s Innovation competition features a new online community that facilitates student, teacher and mentor collaboration across multiple platforms, from sharing videos to uploading documents and communicating in forums. The Portal for the Spirit of Innovation Challenge is also being expanded to assist teams in acquiring patents and funding for further development and commercialization of their products.

To learn more, visit www.conradawards.org<http://www.conradawards.org>.

About The Conrad Foundation

The Conrad Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fundamentally shifting how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are taught in K-12 schools. The program reaches all socioeconomic levels, is free to all who participate and is the only organization of its kind to combine education, innovation and entrepreneurship to spark student interest in STEM careers and sustain a knowledge-based economy. For more information, visit www.conradawards.org<http://www.conradawards.org>.

STEM Education Leaders,

The Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching (BEST) Project is now recruiting teachers to apply to the 2012-2013 BEST Project Cohort. Information about BEST Project goals and participation incentives, the application process, as well as this year's teacher-interns and their research site placements can be found on our website www.towson.edu/cse/best. We encourage you to forward information about this outstanding professional development opportunity to your school system's secondary-level administrators, department chairs, and teachers.

If you have any questions about the BEST Project Summer 2011 Report or the 2012-2013 application process, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your commitment to improving Maryland Public School STEM education and learning,
Julie

Julie Damico
Director
Baltimore Excellence in STEM Teaching (BEST) Project
Towson University
701 East Pratt Street, Suite 200
Baltimore, MD 21202-3186
tel. 410-385-6321
fax. 410-385-6367
jdamico@towson.edu
www.towson.edu/cse/BEST

The Baltimore Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) and the Baltimore Engineer’s Club would like to invite you to our 2011 Introduce a Girl to Engineering program on Thursday, February 24th from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Engineer’s Club.  Approximately 100 middle and high school girls interested in engineering from Baltimore, Anne Arundel and Caroline Counties have been invited to participate in this year’s program.  This event is part of the National Engineers Week activities at the Engineers Club and the Baltimore Museum of Industry during the week of February 20-26, 2011.  See the scheduled activities.

The WTS Baltimore Chapter is  proud to help sponsor this event for girls who may be interested in an engineering or transportation career.  It definitely fits into the STEM program and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity, if possible, to join us for this unique event.  Our draft program will begin with a welcome by Heidi VanLuven  the 2010 WTS Baltimore Chapter Woman of the Year who works for A. Morton Thomas & Associates.  She will be followed by 4 additional “women” speakers who represent a variety of engineering disciplines.  Darlisa L. Thomas, the WTS Baltimore Chapter’s 2010 Scholarship winner, who is attending Morgan State University and completing her degree in Civil Engineering, has also been invited to speak.  They will each share their stories on how they became interested in engineering, their education and disciplines they needed to succeed.  This will be followed by a special presentation by the Maryland State Highway Administration showcasing their snow removal efforts and the transportation issues it can present.   SHA has a variety of careers for women including snow plough drivers and maintenance engineers.

The students will then participate in a hands on group activity.  Last year students built towers from straws.  Our speakers and guests will then join the students for a lively and interactive lunch.  It is an educational, inspirational and fun day for the students and all who attend.

I hope that your schedule will permit you to join us for the Introduce a Girl to Engineering event on February 24th, 2011 at the historic Baltimore Engineers Club.  You are welcome to stop by or participate in the entire day.  There is no fee to attend.  Please RSVP by February 18th via this email. 

If you would like additional information on this program or WTS, please contact Karen Saab at 410-865-1228.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for Students, Adults and Volunteers for the 3rd Annual Women in Engineering (WIE) DREAM Conference

The first 350 students who register and attend will receive complimentary conference bags with giveaways, and the high school that is most highly represented will be honored with a plaque of outstanding participation!

WHO:  All high school students, particularly girls. Parents, teachers and community members are invited to attend or volunteer. We also encourage community college students with an interest in the A. James Clark School of Engineering to join us.

WHAT:  Through interactive workshops, discussions and demonstrations, participants will be immersed in an exciting learning environment with the goal of igniting interest in engineering. The Clark School departments and student organizations like the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) along with our sponsors will participate in an information fair for attendees to enjoy at the end of the day.

WHEN:  Saturday, February 26, 2011 from 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM

WHERE:  Adele H. Stamp Student Union, University of Maryland, College Park

WHY:  The Women in Engineering Program was founded in 1995 to support women engineering students at the University of Maryland. Our mission is to recruit, retain and advance women in engineering through a variety of initiatives. Gender diversity in the field of engineering continues to draw national attention. Since 1996, the United States has seen a decreasing number of women enrolling as first-year students in engineering. In the Clark School, we are working hard to reverse that trend. We jumped from a class of 16.5% women in 2005 to more than 20% women now. Our goal is to reach 30% in five years. Programs like the WIE DREAM Conference help by showing students that engineering is not only an exciting career, but also one that is critical to improving our society and lives around the world.

The conference is FREE and includes lunch. Plus, students that attend the event and subsequently the Clark School at the University of Maryland will be eligible to apply for DREAM scholarships valued at up to $2,500!

For more information and to REGISTER, please visit http://wie.umd.edu/dream/

Goddard Space Flight Center Summer Internships for Students

Beginning January 5, 2011 and continuing through February 10, 2011, high school students may apply for summer internship projects at Goddard Space Flight Center.  Goddard High School Interns benefit from real-world engagement in applications of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) within a research-focused work environment while learning and applying research protocols and processes related to Earth & space science, computer science, engineering, and technology.  See more details - Letter to Schools flyer.

Applicants must complete an online profile and apply to projects beginning January 5, 2011. Requirements are:
.................1) At least 16 years of age at start of internship,
.................2) Minimum 3.0 GPA (unweighted) on a 4.0 scale,
.................3) U.S. citizenship.

To apply to GSFC High School Summer Internship Opportunities, interested students should go to https://education.gsfc.nasa-telophase.com

Goddard high school summer internships include, but are not limited to, the National Space Club Scholars Program (NSCSP) and the NASA INSPIRE project.  (For information about the NASA INSPIRE project and eligibility, go to http://www.nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE.  For information and eligibility for the National Space Club Scholars Program, visit http://www.spaceclub.org/programs/scholars.html.)

Please encourage your students to consider the above programs.  Use the announcement flyer to share with students and parents.  For further information, please contact us at 301-286-7205 or by email bonnie.mcclain-1@nasa.gov

Below is a reference list of many robotics competitions. Look for others at the listing of many other robotics competitions at http://robots.net/rcfaq.html#LNK119.

VEX Robotics Competition
Websites:  http://www.vexrobotics.com/competition/vex-robotics-competition & http://robotevents.com/
Ages:  Elementary thru High School to Collegiate
Registration Dates:  Open year round
Format:  Teams of 2 - 5 students
Cost:  ~$75 / team + ~$75+ / tournament + ~$800 for robot parts kit

VEX is a large, international robotics competition for students of all ages.  Students, with guidance from their teachers and mentors will aim to build the most innovative robots possible and work together to obtain the most points possible.  For students, there are six levels of programming / competition options:  Remote Control (teleoperation) only; VEX Configurator; GUI Based Object Oriented; EasyC; RobotC; and MPLAB.  For Educators, there are three affordable (co)curriculum options:  Intelitek’s REC VEX Curriculum; Carnegie Mellon’s Robomatter VEX Curriculum 2.0; and Autodesk’s VEX Curriculum.  VEX has also partnered with Technology Student Association (TSA), Project Lead The Way (PLTW) and other groups to provide curriculum and materials for their own group based challenges.

FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Robotics
Websites:  http://www.USFIRST.org/roboticsprograms/JFLL/  & http://www.FIRSTLEGOLeague.org & http://www.mdfirst.org/programs/first-lego-league.html
Ages:  High School, ages  14-18
Registration Dates:  May thru September
Format:  Teams of 3 - 10 students
Cost:  ~$700 / team

FLL Robotics is an international program for ages 9-14. FLL uses LEGO® Mindstorms™ NXT™ robots.  FLL Teams consist of 3-10 members. Estimated cost per FLL Team is $700.  This covers national and state registrations, a Field Set up Kit, a challenge table, optional parts, T-shirts, and a reusable LEGO® MindStorms NXT robot kit.  FLL Teams meet 3-8 hrs per week during the fifteen week robot build cycle (Sept. thru Dec.). Completion of a research presentation is also required.  Teams compete in Qualifiers events at year's end.  In Maryland, the State Championship is held in January at UMBC.

FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics
Websites:  http://www.USFIRST.org/roboticsprograms/FTC & http://FTC.csmd.edu/ & http://www.mdfirst.org/programs/first-tech-challenge.html
Ages:  High School, ages  14-18
Registration Dates:  May thru September
Format:  Teams of 3 - 10 students
Cost:  ~$1500 / team

FIRST Tech Challenge is for ages 14-18.  Starting each September, students spend 5-15 hours each week building and programming custom robots from packaged kits.  Tournaments take place during the winter and spring. The kits include more than 500 parts, such as variable-speed motors, multiple gears, wheels, remote controls and a programmable micro-controller.

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)
Websites:  http://usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/ & http://www.mdfirst.org/programs/first-robotics-competition.html
Ages:  14 - 18
Registration Dates:  May - December
Format:  Teams of 8 – 25 students
Cost:  ~$10,000 / team

FIRST Robotics Competition is an international competition for ages 14-18.  FRC competition season is Jan. thru April, although many FRC teams are active all year round.  In January, new industrial grade robot kits arrive. Teams then endure six weeks of intensive building (20+ hrs per week) during which they design, build, calculate, program, test, and re-test their creation.  Registration is $6000.  It takes $10,000+ to run a competitive FRC team.  Registration and payments are due by early December.  FRC competition season is Jan. thru April; although, many FRC teams are active all year round.  In January, new industrial grade robot kits arrive. Teams endure six weeks of intensive building (20+ hrs per week) during which they design, build, calculate, program, test, and re-test their robotic creation.  Many teams have only one high school teacher or “leader” coordinating their FIRST team. Depending on the amount of time the teacher can dedicate to FIRST, this may be fine, but it is ideal if two teacher/leaders can be involved. Most teams have 8-25 students (there is no maximum) and can be made up of one or more high schools or youth organizations. In addition, parents play a key role in supporting a team.  Most teams also have a handful of technical and non-technical mentors. Each mentor may be skilled in different areas, including engineering.

SeaPerch Underwater Robotics
Websites:  http://www.seaperch.org & http://seaperch.mit.edu/  
Ages:  5th grade -  High School
Registration Dates:  open / informal
Format:  Individual or Teams of 2 – 3 students
Cost:  ~$75 per robot

The Sea Perch is a simple, remotely operated underwater vehicle, or ROV, made from PVC pipe and other inexpensive, easily available materials. The hands-on Sea Perch experience is a gateway to further study and careers in robotics, engineering, marine sciences and more.  Students around the world are using their Sea Perches to collect and enter water quality data into the Sea Perch Data Bank, an international water quality database. Data collected by Sea Perch users is automatically integrated into state of the art GIS maps and comparative graphs. Students and teachers can use any of these graphs in their classroom and can customize the data for the subject or concept they are working on.  And scientists around the world can tap into the database to use your data in their research.  The first-ever National SeaPerch Challenge is a challenging, educational and fun opportunity for top teams from middle and high school districts and student interest groups with established SeaPerch programs. This exciting event, scheduled for May 2011, will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Drexel University. It will run concurrently with the Navy's Intelligent Ships Symposium (ISS IX).

MATE International ROV Contest, Underwater Robotics
Websites:  http://www.marinetech.org/rov_competition/
Grades:  5th grade -  High School
Registration Dates:  December - February
Format:  Teams
Cost:  ~$225 + / team

In addition to being fun and educational, these competitions connect students and educators with employers and working professionals from marine industries, highlight marine-related career opportunities, and promote the development of technical, problem solving, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.  The MATE Center coordinates an international student ROV competition and a network of 19 regional ROV contests that take place across U.S. and in Canada, Hong Kong, and Scotland.  Student teams from middle schools, high schools, home schools, community colleges, and universities participate in the events, which consist of different “classes” that vary depending on the sophistication of the ROVs and the mission requirements.  The 2011 MATE international ROV competition Finals will take place at the NASA Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab, June 16-18, 2011.

BotBall Robotics
Websites:  http://www.botball.org/
Ages:  Middle & High School
Registration Dates:  September thru mid-February
Format:  Teams of 5 to 15 students
Cost:  $2500 / team

Any team of middle or high school aged students is eligible to participate as long as they have an adult team leader.  There is no minimum or maximum number of students per team. Typically, teams are made up of 10-15 students.  The Botball Challenge kickoff happens in September.  Registration fees are due by early January.  Educators' Workshops are held in January and February.  Cost to register a Botball team is ~$2,500 and includes: hands-on coaches' workshop and robotics equipment that can be used year round. Each kit contains material to build two robots including  Controllers; Sensors (light, touch, sonar, encoders, range finders); Motors; Vision System; software; tournament enrollment; 10 Botball T-shirts, and access to an online curriculum that provides experiments, explanations, and ideas to use with the Botball kit after the contest.  Educator scholarships and grants are available - please see the website for details. 

BEST Robotics
Websites:  http://best.eng.auburn.edu/ & http://robotevents.com/robot-competitions/best
Ages:  Middle & High School
Registration Dates:  April thru September
Format:  Individuals or Teams
Cost:  ~$125 / team

Take plywood and a box filled with items such as PVC pipe, screws and other hardware, an irrigation valve cover, piano wire, aluminum paint grid, a bicycle inner tube, a BRAIN (BEST Robotics Advanced Instruction Node programmable platform), and something called a micro-energy chain system and try, within six weeks, to design and build a functioning machine that can perform certain, specific tasks in three minutes. What do you get?  You get BEST, a middle and high school robotics competition whose mission is to engage and excite students about engineering, science, and technology as well as inspire them to pursue careers in these fields. Through participation in our project-based STEM program, students learn to analyze and solve problems utilizing the Engineering Design Process, which helps them develop technological literacy skills. It is these skills that industry seeks in its workforce. Each fall, over 750 middle and high schools and over 11,000 students participate in the competition.

IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Challenges
Websites:  http://ewh.ieee.org/r2/baltimore/robot
Ages:  High School
Registration Dates:  September - November
Format:  Teams of 2-5 students
Cost:  ~$75-$100 / team

This is a Baltimore, Maryland based event.  Designed for Maryland teachers, there is a Robot model suitable for whatever level students are capable of, for grades 9 to 12. A school’s first 2-leg robot kit is FREE.  Teacher Workshops and kickoff occur in November, with additional workshops in the winter.  Papers are due in March or April.  Competitions are held in April at the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

JHU’s CISST Robo-Challenge
Websites:  http://www.cisst.org/K-12-programs & http://cissrs.lcsr.jhu.edu/JHRC2010
Ages:  Middle & High School
Registration Dates:  January - February
Format:  Individuals or Teams
Cost:  ~$50 / team + cost of Robot (~$150-$500)

This is a Baltimore, Maryland based event.  The JHU Robo-Challenge is a day long competition consisting of five individual robotics challenges, speakers on robotics, tours of the Hopkins campus and the robotics buildings, and lots of prizes!  BoE-bot (Board of Education) robotics kit are used for this competition.  The Robo-Challenge is a robot competition for high school and middle school students. There are five competitions - Petite Slalom, Mystery Course, Innovative Use of BOE kits, Tumor Detection and Robot Dance. Students will build the robot before the competition and on the day of the competition students will need to be able to program them based on the obstacle course that day. The general layout of the course will be given to students before hand, but the actual path will be unknown, and may change. This event is brought to you by Computer-Integrated Surgery Student Research Society (CISSRS) - Johns Hopkins University Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) - Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association.

TSA VEX Robotics Competition
Websites: http://www.tsaweb.org/Vex-Robotics-Competition &  http://robotevents.com/robot-competitions/tsa/ & http://www.vexrobotics.com/competition/tsa-vex-robotics-competition
Ages:  Middle & High School
Registration Dates:  Open!
Format:  Teams of 2-5 students
Cost:  ~$90 membership fee + cost of Robot (~$500)

The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national non-profit organization for middle and high school students with a strong interest in technology. The TSA-VEX Robotics Competition provides students with a hands-on, co-curricular competition for learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and complements the existing technology-related competitions offered by TSA.  TSA-VEX Robotics teams compete either at events held at TSA state conferences or at other official VEX Robotics Competition tournaments. The season culminates with a championship event at the National TSA Conference.  TSA serves more than 150,000 students at 2,000 schools in 48 states. Learn more about how TSA fosters personal growth, leadership and opportunities in technology, innovation, design and engineering at http://www.tsaweb.org.

(Battle) BotsIQ (BBIQ)
Websites:  http://www.botsiq.org & http://www.battlebots.com/BattleBots.com/Rules.html
Ages:  Middle & High School
Registration Dates:  September - March
Format:  Teams
Cost:  ~$100 / team + cost of Robot (~$150-$500+)

BotsIQ is an educational program created by the producers of the wildly successful BattleBots television series in which homemade remote controlled robots faced-off in competition. As the television show grew in popularity, so did the number of student fans who wanted to build competitive robots of their own.  The IQ program starts with our middle school through high school, to post-secondary schools and institutions, and includes our industry work centers across the country. BotsIQ program is an educational engine powering the United States to remain the world’s leader in innovation, manufacturing, and industrial technology.  The program utilizes three distinctly different robotic competitions with the fourth program being developed. First, the task oriented (table top) competition where operator-controlled robots have to perform specific tasks that often mimic real-life robots such as the Mars Rovers. The second competition pits student-made robots in head-to-head competition. Teams design and build their own robots; for the first time they see their “ideas-come-to-life.” As they enter the “arena” their robots must answer the call, as equivalent to the rock, paper, and scissors question. Who has the strongest, most durable and technologically advanced robot? Finally, the newest program, to be unveiled in the near future is the Grand Challenge IQ (GCIQ) competition. The GCIQ is designed to challenge students with an autonomous robotic curriculum. Robotic vehicles will navigate through static and mobile obstacles while facing varying degrees of difficulty as they progress through the event at various levels of difficulties.  The National Bots IQ tournament takes place in April.

Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy & May Madness Challenges
Websites:  http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/ & http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/content/lego/competitions/index.htm
Ages:  6  thru High School
Registration Dates:  n/a
Format:  Individuals or Teams
Cost:  free +

The CMU Robotics Academy has great resources for students, teachers, and parents.  The Academy holds student summer camps and educator workshops.  Some FIRST teams use the CMU materials to work on their robotics skills year round.  Check out their May Madness Challenges!

Ion’s Mini Urban Challenge
Websites:  http://www.ion.org/outreach/muc/index.cfm
Ages:  High School
Registration Dates:  ~February - ?
Format:  Teams
Cost:  free

Free high school robotics competition offers real-world engineering lessons. The Air Force Research Laboratory and the Institute of Navigation are hosting the Mini-Urban Challenge in May at Wright State University in Dayton. The competition invites high school students to design, build and program a car using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® sensors to navigate at the contest site through a 20-foot by 20-foot city made entirely of LEGOs® building sets. There is no cost for schools or students to participate because the sponsors provide all necessary materials, sensors and software. The competition provides high school students with real-world engineering lessons in problem solving, technical language and teamwork with a goal of getting more students excited about engineering.

National Robotics Challenge
Websites:  http://www.nationalroboticschallenge.org
Ages:  Elementary, Middle School, High School & Post-Secondary
Registration Dates:  September – February
Format:  Individuals or Teams
Cost:  ~$50 / team + cost of Robot

This is an Ohio based event which takes place each April.  Teams select challenges to participate in.  The available challenges change each year.  For 2011, challenges include (1) Sumo Robot contest; (2) Mini-Sumo Robot contest; (3) Manufacturing Robotic Work Cell; (4) Pick and Place Programming; (5) Robot Construction; (6) Robot Maze; (7) Top of the Hill; (8) Robotic Problem Solving; (9) Robo Hockey; (10) Canine Companion Challenge; (11) Manufacturing Model; (12) Math Machines Challenge; (13) VEX Swept Away!; and others!  This completion formerly had judged synchronized baby-doll robot dancing, where the robots where dressed up and would dance in teams, to popular music!

Trinity Firefighting Robot Contest & RoboWaiter Assistive Robot Challenge
Websites:  http://www.trincoll.edu/events/robot
Ages:  Middle & High School, thru Expert
Registration Dates:  February - March
Format:  Individuals or Teams
Cost:  ~$60-$150 / team + cost of Robot

The 2009 contest drew more than 100 teams from around the world with first-time registrations from Portugal and Indonesia.  In 2009 we featured two new events:  the new “House on Fire” Expert Division, and the RoboWaiter contest.   RoboWaiter is sponsored by the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities. We’re looking forward to high levels of participation in House on Fire and RoboWaiter in 2010. The contest survey showed that RoboWaiter participants felt a high level of engineering challenge, were curious about assistive robotics, and wished to increase awareness among potential users of assistive technology.  Supporters and instructors felt it was important to introduce students to the assistive technology subject.  We hope that many school and university teams will accept the RoboWaiter and fire-fighting challenges in 2010 and beyond!

NURC Underwater Robotics
Website:  http://arizonapromotersofappliedscienceineducationaz.web.officelive.com & http://www.h2orobots.org/
Ages:  Middle & High School
Dates:  January -
Format:  Teams
Cost:  ~$350 / robot

This is an Arizona based competition. The mission of the National Underwater Robotics Challenge is to bring science and technology educational opportunities to the students of all ages across the country. This event is designed to stimulate the youth of America and to reverse the national "brain drain". It contributes to the growing number of events, including FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics, helping to make Arizona a focal point in science and technology events. NURC is also open to adult and corporate teams as well, helping to foster a STEM culture throughout the state in multiple demographics.

USA SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FESTIVAL UPDATE

The USA Science & Engineering Festival, a two week celebration of science spanning the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, began this week and offers hundreds of free events leading up to a two day Science Expo on the National Mall on October 23 and 24. More than 550 science and engineering companies, professional associations, colleges, and universities, along with 200 K-12 schools and other organizations are participating in the two weeks of events at the Festival. All events are free to the general public. The mission is to re-invigorate the interest of our nation’s youth in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by producing and presenting the most compelling, exciting, educational, and entertaining science gatherings in the United States. In addition to the events in Washington, D.C., there are many satellite events across the country. More details are at

Many Triangle Coalition members are exhibiting at the USA Science & Engineering Festival, including American Geological Institute, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Society for Engineering Education, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, JETS (Junior Engineering Technical Society), Inc., National Association of Biology Teachers, National Center for Technological Literacy, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Earth Science Teachers Association, and the National Science Teachers Association. 

Website: www.usasciencefestival.org

TRIANGLE COALITION ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON STEM EDUCATION POLICY

Next week, STEM education leaders and stakeholders from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C. for Triangle Coalition's Annual Conference on STEM Education Policy, entitled "STEM Innovation…Leveraging Government, Business, and Education." Taking place October 21-22, 2010, the conference features a dynamic agenda that will address the current STEM education issues and their implications at both the national and local levels. Keynote speakers include Charles Britt, founder and executive director of the Center for Minority Achievement in Science and Technology (CMAST); Dr. Linda Rosen, CEO of Change the Equation; and Steve Robinson (invited), White House Domestic Policy Advisor for Education. Dr. Stephen Pruitt of ACHIEVE and Dr. Thomas Keller from the Board on Science Education at the National Research Council will provide an overview and update on the common standards movement. Other panel discussions will address current STEM education legislative issues, STEM education programs at the federal agencies, and the STEM academies initiative. In addition, new innovative programming to provide real-life, integrated learning materials will be showcased by NBC Learn. The conference will conclude with attendees making visits to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressional delegates and staff members to discuss these key issues.

Triangle Coalition's 2010 Annual Conference on STEM Education Policy is generously sponsored by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 3M, School Specialty Science, and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. To learn more about the conference or to register to attend, visit the conference website. Join in the discussion before, during, and after the conference via Twitter by using #STEMedPolicy and following @TriCoalition.

Website: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/default.aspx?EventID=851864