GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grable Foundation has awarded Grove City College a $10,000 grant from to fund the Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology Robotics competition. The 2012 Wolverine BEST Robotics Competition kicks off Sept. 8 in the college's Pew Fine Arts Center.
The Sept. 8 kick-off will be followed by Mall Day at Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh on Oct. 6 and Game Days in the College’s Physical Learning Center Arena on Oct. 19 and 20. Students will learn to apply math and physics concepts to real world problems, employ abstracting thinking and self-directed learning, and build leadership skills. Schools are free to participate without a cost or fee.
In 2010, Grove City College teamed up with the nonprofit BEST Robotics to inspire students to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers through the hands-on robotics competition. Under the guidance of the college’s department of electrical and computer engineering, Grove City College became one of the nation’s 46 regional hubs for the BEST competition.
BEST Robotics was created in 1993 by two engineers from Texas Instruments who believed a robot competition would be a great way to teach young people about engineering. Each year, more than 15,000 students participate in the nationwide competition, building skills required to analyze and solve problems utilizing the engineering design process. Students are exposed to professors, staff and students at a collegiate level, and engineers and technical professionals in varied industries who mentor them throughout the six-week program.
Dr. Mike Bright, professor of electrical and computer engineering and department chairman, is Grove City College’s hub director. Bright has been a professor at the college since 1998.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.