Outreach Events 2019
The Alabama Astrobotics Team participates in many outreach events each cycle. Events range from on campus demonstrations to elementary school visits, with the aim to inspire students to be involved and interested in STEM activities and careers. We are always looking for new outreach opportunities!
Westminster School ~ March 26, 2019
Alabama Astrobotics hosted a group of middle school robotics club members from Westminster School at Oak Mountain in Shelby County. This school has a 7th grade team, an 8th grade team and an all girls team. Barry Stephenson, a parent of one of the students, reached out to us to show the kids just what robotics and STEM can do in their futures.
South View Elementary Visit ~ March 22, 2019
Astrobotics designed and built a game show style buzzer system to get elementary school kids excited about learning. At South View Elementary School, we brought our buzzer showed the kids and explained the inner electrical workings of the system then had a small interactive game where their teacher quizzed them on material that they were working on in class.
MathCounts ~ January 23, 2019
MathCounts had a small engineering fair in the South Engineering Research Facility at which Astrobotics hosted a table and talked to young kids about how projects like the one that we undertake every year can be rewarding, as well as telling them just a little bit more about the robot.
RISE Above 2018 ~ Jan-Dec 2018
Astrobotics has continued their partnership with the RISE center of Tuscaloosa from last RMC Cycle to create a custom workstation for the students that will serve as sensory stations providing visual, audio, and physical stimuli. This project has given the kids, teachers, and therapists a chance to be involved in the design and promoted STEM while displaying its potential for these types of applications. We delivered the station to students at their open house event in December of 2018.
UA Space Days ~ Nov 7 & 8, 2018
The College of Engineering and the Capstone Engineering Society at the University of Alabama host "UA Space Days," an annual event held on the Shelby Engineering Quad (or inside the newly renovated H.M. Comer when gallons of rain pour down). This year, Alabama Astrobotics was able to host a table and network with leaders in the Aerospace Industry as well as fellow students interested in space exploration. Students were also able to attend panel discussions, attend a formal networking event, and attend many classes with guest lecturers from Space Days!
RISE Tech-or-Treat ~ Oct 31, 2018
The children of the RISE school attended a fun trick-or-treating session at the newly renovated H.M. Comer on the University of Alabama campus. Our team created a candy off-loading belt to fill the kids' buckets with loads of treats! We love collaborating with the RISE school, and we had a blast seeing their adorable Halloween costumes!
Tuscaloosa Girl Scout Visit ~ Oct 15, 2018
Our team had the opportunity to give a local girl scout troop a tour of our lab! The girls got a chance to ask questions about the robot and learn more about a career in the STEM field, all while earning some badges :)
World of Works ~ Oct 11 & 12, 2018
World of Works is an annual event held at Shelton State Community College aimed at attracting students to careers in STEM. More than 4,000 eighth grade students and hundreds of high schoolers from nine counties in West Alabama attended the event and explored career opportunities. Nine “Worlds” were featured as potential career pathways for the children. Listed Below:
- World of Agriculture
- World of Construction
- World of Energy/Utilities
- World of Engineering/Environment
- World of Healthcare
- World of Hospitality/Tourism
- World of Manufacturing/Automotive/Logistics
- World of Public Service
- World of Transportation
E-Day ~ Oct 5, 2018
Engineering Day, or E-Day, is an annual event held on campus at UA that gives prospective students a closer look at the College of Engineering, as well as a look at a realistic view of how engineering skills are used in everyday life. Alabama Astrobotics operated a booth set up near the engineering quad where team members engaged with students discussing educational paths in STEM as well as our design process and the details of our competition. After this, team members led groups of students through our lab to stimulate further discussion about the robot and different applications for STEM.
How Far Can We Reach? ~ Aug 2018-May 2019
As part of our outreach efforts this cycle, we have placed a map of the United States in the team lab with color-coded push pins so that visitors may "plot" where they are from. The red pins represent Astrobotics team members' home towns, while the white pins represent visitors. We will also bring this map to our outreach events throughout the cycle to show just how far we can spread the love for STEM!
RISE ABOVE 2018 - Jan ~ Dec 2018
Astrobotics has continued their partnership with the RISE school from last RMC Cycle to create custom workstations for the students that will serve as sensory stations providing visual, audio, and physical stimuli. This project has given the kids, teachers, and therapists a chance to be involved in the design and promoted STEM while displaying its potential for these types of applications. Below is a preliminary design review (PDR) on the project. Students plan to deliver the stations in December of 2018.