Local mentors needed for robotic program

But it is widely reported that the country is not turning out the engineers and technicians that it should for future competitiveness at a world level.

Ken Rosen agrees wholeheartedly. He is the assistant regional director and coordinator of Minnesota’s FIRST Robotics Program, a national science and technology program for high school students — created by American inventor Dean Kamen.

The impact of the competitive program, which is designed to inspire students to pursue science and technology careers, is being acknowledged increasingly in industrial, business and academic arenas. In the nation, there are 43 high school programs with 683 teams.

Although Minnesota is the largest representative in the national initiative, with 81 regional high school teams around the state — Falls High School is not one of them.

With the discovery that FHS does not have the resources to implement a FIRST program, nor does Rainy River Community College, Rosen’s ambition as a program recruiter is to inspire a Borderland initiative for assuming the role. By the end of October, Rosen hopes to recruit some Borderland engineers, mechanics, tinkerers, or other mentors (retired or employed individuals or groups) from the field of technology who are interested in leadership for a FHS team.

While most of Minnesota’s FIRST programs are implemented through high schools, about 10 of them are led by industry mentorship which may be company- or organization-based, Rosen told The Daily Journal Tuesday.

Regardless of who may take the local role, the venue for the 6.5 week, robot-building program would be the industrial shop at Falls High School.

Candidates would be adults who have a passion for engineering, science, or technology, and who would enjoy innovating with high school kids during an intensive month and a half. Mentors would lend a willingness to meet after school three days a week, and one weekend day for that time period, Rosen said.

The kickoff for the state robot “build season” is Jan. 9, when many regional participants travel to the University of Minnesota to receive $6,500 in such robotic parts as sophisticated software and wiring. (Materials may also be shipped to teams.) The participants do not receive instructions — and do not yet have any ideas about the robot they will be building or the game in which it will be playing. But it must be a robot that can compete.

The kickoff includes a broadcast covered by NASA, which will also be offering grant funding for component costs. The NASA grants have a three to-four week application period which opens on registration day. NASA funding will often foot the full $6,500 cost, Rosen said.

The robot-building season runs through Tuesday, Feb. 23. A major regional competition is held April 1, 2 and 3. On April 15, the national championship is held in Atlanta. In past competitions, the top 14 students have visited the White House.

Acclaimed inventor

In 1989, American inventor Dean Kamen founded the science program with the acronym “FIRST” which represents “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.” Kamen is the acclaimed successful and wealthy U.S. scientist who invented the first insulin pump; the AutoSyringe for medical applications; and an all-terrain electric wheelchair known as the iBOT among many other innovations. He is now focused on robotic limbs and prostheses.

Kamen remains the driving force behind the organization, providing over 2,500 high schools with the tools needed to learn valuable engineering skills.

Kamen realized that the shortage of technicians and engineers in the United States, which the inventor attributes in part to an over-focus on high school sports was accelerating, according to Rosen.

And it’s not just “MIT types” that the nation needs, Rosen clarified. “Many positions (in various fields) are unfilled because there’s not enough qualified people. Tech schools are very good too.

“The whole idea is to help kids discover an interest in robotics,” said Rosen, who also works at the U of M medical devices center. “They may not ‘be into’ shop class, or math or science — but here’s a robotics program — and that’s cool.” He noted that robotics is a field to which many kids are instantly drawn, but don’t have access.

“The reason schools want to do this is that it (FIRST program) makes kids more competitive in college and their careers,” Rosen said. Five to eight seniors per every team graduate each year. “The U of M is a big supporter of the program because they see the participants as potential students,” he added, noting that the university even offers its facilities, such as the Northrup Auditorium, for the kickoff.

The application process of the U of M’s Institute of Technology (and other colleges) now includes asking incoming freshman if they participated in a FIRST robotics program, according to Rosen. “It also develops life skills like teammanship,” he said.

Rosen said deep cuts in high school industrial arts programs and staff reductions have likely contributed to the nation’s technical career shortage, noting that FHS and four other districts in the state are still searching for mentors.

But, he suggested, a strong contingent for the leaders of a FHS program would be the Hibbing and Warroad teams, which would be willing to help in mentoring. “Mentors who takes this on would definitely not be left alone,” Rosen said. He added that a great attraction would be to have the Warroad team come to FHS and show off their robot. Hockey players from Warroad and Roseau went up against each other at regions with robots, not hockey, Rosen explained, bemused.

“The big problem — the solution — is getting more kids interested in the topic,” Rosen said. The Warroad school, a rookie last year, is supported by Marvin Windows.

Local mentors, organizations or company representatives could meet with Rosen promptly as he will be in Borderland on Monday from 2:30-5:30 p.m. Those interested should e-mail Rosen at kr71@aol.com

Rosen articulated his view, and Kamen’s, on why a local community shares the responsibility of involving students in the program:

“They’re the ones who are going to come up with the innovations that will improve our lives. A lot of these other countries are producing engineers, but don’t match our creative spirit. The key is in numbers. The more it grows, the better it will be.”

The FIRST Robotics Program has gained a great deal of publicity from companies such as Autodesk, BAE Systems, Bausch and Lomb, CNN, General Motors, Google, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Boston Gears, Motorola, Delphi, Kodak, Johnson and Johnson, Xerox, Harris, Underwriter's Laboratories, Microchip, Caterpillar as well as many universities and colleges.

FIRST has many competitions, including the Lego Leagues for younger and junior students; the Tech Challenge; and the Robotics Competition for high school students.

In 2007, 37 international robot competitions were held in places across the world such as Israel, Brazil, Canada, and the United States.

Interested?

WHAT: Mechanics, engineers or tinkerers, individuals or companies who are interested in mentoring a FIRST Robotic Program for Falls High School students.

HOW: Contact Ken Rosen at kr71@aol.com to make an appointment to discuss mentoring. Rosen will visit Borderland Monday.