NIHERST Aims To Become Regional STEM Hub Through Robotics Competition
The National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology (NIHERST) on Saturday hosted its FIRST TECH Challenge Competition, a robotics competition where secondary school students build robots to compete against each other in a set of challenges.
More in this report from Gregory Mc Burnie.
the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology (NIHERST) in collaboration with Shell Trinidad and Tobago Ltd hosted its inaugural FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) national tournament, themed ‘Decode’.
Students, aged 12–18, from nine secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago, designed, built, and programmed robots to compete in challenges.
Guided by coaches and mentors, the students developed Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills, practiced engineering principles, and learned the value of hard work, innovation, and teamwork.
Rondell Liverpool, Project Officer and Programme Coordinator at NIHERST explained how the teams were chosen. He said the competition is part of NIHERST’s plan to become a regional hub for STEM innovation.
Mr Liverpool added that highlighting STEM skills doesn’t end with this competition, as there are plans to draw national attention to the eventual winners’ accomplishments.
The students were exposed to advanced robotics, Java programming, and real-world engineering challenges.
This year’s theme for the competition, DECODE, invites teams to explore the power of the world’s artifacts and unlock hidden mysteries through innovation and discovery.
