Papua New Guinea students are set to participate in an international robotics competition in Athens, Greece, next week. Five students from Lae Secondary School, located in the country's second-largest city, Lae, will represent PNG in the World Robotics Competition hosted by FIRST Global. The event, running from September 26 to 29, will bring together participants from over 190 countries under the theme "Feeding the Future."
This marks the fifth year that Lae Secondary School has participated in the World Challenge. In 2023, the team placed 43rd out of 192 competing nations. The school's teacher and team manager, Mrs. Martha L Aaron, shared that the team has previously competed in Mexico City in 2018, Dubai in 2019, Switzerland in 2022, and Singapore in 2023.
The team consists of human players and programmers. While the players will control the robot, the programmers are responsible for writing the code that allows the robot to complete various tasks. Mrs. Aaron emphasized the importance of teamwork and problem-solving skills in the competition, describing it as a significant global event where students from the same age group compete.
The "Feeding the Future" Robotics Challenge encourages participants to develop innovative solutions by designing and building robots. These robots must navigate a simulated environment highlighting the interconnected relationship between water, food, and energy systems. Students are also tasked with balancing these resources to promote a sustainable food system.
FIRST Global founder, Dean Kamen, in his welcome message, praised Athens as a historic hub of innovation and emphasized the importance of STEM education in fostering values like empathy, inclusivity, and respect. He remarked that events like this are crucial to building a more harmonious world for future generations.
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