Using Underwater Robotic Vehicles to Build IT and Pre-Engineering Skills (BUILD IT)

Seventy teachers, 35 guidance counselors and 140 students in an area around Hoboken NJ are collaborating with women and minority faculty to address a design challenge to program an underwater vehicle to perform tasks.
Project Information
Cohort: 
4 (2006-2009)
Category: 
Comprehensive
Principal Investigator: 
Elisabeth McGrath
Co-Principal Investigator(s): 
Liesl Hotaling
Victor Lawrence
Sponsor: 
Stevens Institute of Technology
Primary Focus: 
Engineering
robotics
Organization Location City: 
Hoboken
Organization Location Region/State: 
Middle Atlantic
New Jersey (NJ)
Where project work happens: 
Middle Atlantic
New Jersey (NJ)
Other Area(s) of Focus: 
Environmental Science
Participant type: 
Guidance Counselors
High School Students
High School Teachers
Target Area: 
Urban
Award Number: 
06-24709
Overview Section

By employing a design challenge to program an underwater vehicle to perform tasks, this project seeks to teach students about information technology, science and problem solving. Students and teachers involved in the project have face-to-face interaction with Stevens' women and underrepresented minority faculty, researchers and undergraduate students who help them design and test underwater robotic vehicles. Teachers, guidance counselors, and parents are provided with information about career options in information technology. Seventy teachers, 35 guidance counselors and 140 selected students participate in workshops at the Stevens Institute of Technology. The project provides all the equipment necessary for classroom use and support so teachers can implement the activity in their respective classrooms. The information technology in use includes: ROBOLAB (programming language based on LabVIEW), LEGO robotics components, microcontrollers, sensory data and data analysis, communication technologies and electronics.