RIT Press Conference
 

On Saturday, October 11, at 3:30 PM a press conference will be held at the Rochester Institute of Technology. An announcement related to the proposed Rochester Regional will be made at this time. This will be held in the Xerox Auditorium of the James E. Gleason Building (Building 9). Dean Kamen is expected to attend.

So, if you happen to be in the area, please feel free to stop by. Directions and a campus map are available: http://inside.rit.edu/maps/

Matt

!

Im speechless! [fortunately I can still type] :c)

Re: RIT Press Conference
 

Well that's a good reason to go around the campus on a weekend. Definately checking that out.

Re: RIT Press Conference
 

CONGRATS ROCHESTER,NY! 3 CHEERS...... BECAUSE THAT
MAKES 3 REGIONALS IN THE STATE OF NY.
:D

grrrrrr-ness i'm stuck in potsdam!! let me know how it goes matt! a regional in my hometown would be awesome!!!!!!!!

Adrienne
Ex-X-Cat

what is this?!

hope its a typo!

should read "X-cat for life"
(once an X-cat, always an X-cat)

Re: Re: RIT Press Conference
 

Err, Rich, Matt said that an announcement would be made regarding a regional at RIT... not that there is DEFINITELY going to be one.

Though I'm hoping for the latter.

We can ship you down there if you'd like.
We've got the cage... err... crate already built! ;)

And you say we're not nice to you up here...

for some reason I doubt Dean would fly into rochester and hold a press confrence at RIT, in a 200 seat theater

to announce that FIRST will not be holding a regional at rochester or RIT at any time in the forseeable future

?!

If that were the case I suspect he has better things to do with his time

I'll be there.
Greg

Re: Re: Re: RIT Press Conference
 

oops, me jump too soon.
:yikes:

He's actually the guest speaker at the University of Rochester that same day. We get to steal him for about an hour.

As for the actual announcement, I'm not quite sure what's going to be announced. I've heard three different things in the past three days. But I still think everyone should wait and find out. ;)

Matt

It would be very embarassing to invite the founder of FIRST to your school just so you can tell him to his face that you have no interest in hosting a competition.
That would be super lame.

I have officially changed my plans for saturday. This has been a pretty active fall for FIRST in Rochester. I'm telling my team this week. I know they'll be pumped.

I understand that it would be HIGHLY unlikely that there wouldn't be a regional - I was merely pointing out that getting excited was premature and could result negatively... why celebrate now and be .00001% unsure when you can celebrate next Sat and be 100% sure? :)

Heh, if I didn't check CD, Greg, would you have? ;)

So... does anyone know if this regional would be during this upcoming season?? That would be awesome.

It's a little late for any new 2004 regionals. I'm sure if they decide to hold one, it would be 2005 at the very earliest, if not later.

2005 at the earliest. Our venue will not be finished until April (it's currently under construction).

Matt

Will RIT ever be done with construction?:rolleyes:

Probably not. The engineering building is set to get an expansion starting this winter. Then again, I'm just happy that we've found a use for the Field House.

Matt

Been meaning to have an excuse to check out the colleges up there, but alas, the SAT's are the 11th

Wow! This is amazing that a Regional will be in Rochester. I'm almost tempted to make the trip up to see Dean speak, will have to see what the weekend brings though. I sure wish that this had happened in 1999 when I first joined FIRST, but perhaps when the event finally takes place, I can get there to experience it anways.

Congrats to Rochester!

maybe they are going to annouce that the championship is going to be like the olympics, every year it will be in a different city.
and after Alanta it will be in Rochester?

(naw.... Id rather have a local regional - that would be the spark to start more local teams) :c)

Well, I hope it is in 2005 at the latest since that's the last year I'll be on the team as a high school student :/

So, is the new venue going to be made out of brick? :) :)

Of course. But it will still look good.

For the curious, this is the proposed venue:
http://facilities.rit.edu/Constructi...ouse/index.htm

Matt

Are there any concerns about capacity at the Xerox auditorium? It sounds like it's open to all. Are teams bringing students?

On a side note, is anyone going to see him at UR?

We weren't exactly planning for a huge crowd. If you're planning to bring a large number of people, please contact us (us being RIT; you can contact me if you like). Xerox Auditorium seats 150. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), the press conference is being organized through the President of the Institute's Office so I'm not aware of the details. I can pass information up however.

Matt

I've heard a little more information on this meeting. I believe they are going to announce the formation of a commitee/panel of people who are working towards the establishment of a rochester regional.

So I dont think a rochester regional in 2005 is a done deal, I think the work that has to be done to establish one is officially being 'launched'.

There are several variations to what the announcement will be. That is one variation that I've heard. I've heard others that are more encouraging. I think that the real decision of what to announce will be made on Saturday morning (or at least that's the impression I was given by the Dean of Engineering who had just spoken to the President of the Institute). So it's best to just wait til Saturday.

Matt

So they're asking for teams and robots... I have a feeling it might get a bit crowded in there! But that's really awesome. Can't wait!

some teams have already been contacted and requested to bring their robot for STATIC display, so the press will get to see some HW.

But I think if you have not been contacted by RIT or FIRST and asked to bring your machine, you might want to call them before you show up with a robot :c)

Honestly, I'm not exactly sure how many people are coming but they have extended an invitation to teams in the Rochester area to bring their team (in uniform, with noise makers, and such). They have asked that the teams contact them as an RSVP type thing, but I'm hoping that the Xerox auditorium can fit everyone. I guess we'll have to see on Saturday. :)

Any word yet?

Wetzel

{edit}
I'll check back after 3:30
:rolleyes:

It's official.
Rochester Regional 2005!
YEEHAH!:D

Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, and RIT will be sponsoring a regional competition to be held in RIT's Gordon Field House in 2005.

Additionally, on January 10, 2004, RIT will be hosting a Remote Kickoff.

On behalf of RIT, thanks for everyone who attended and made the event possible.

I also should add that the event was covered by R-News and Channel 13 News as well as the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle.

Matt

It was super news. Really looking forward to all the new teams that will spring up in upstate NY because of this.

Oh and BTW - Matt - I told you Dean would be riding a Seqway. That thing is glued to his feet and it dont come off for ANY reason :c)

Apparently he misled RIT about it. I was as surprised as anyone when he pulled it out of the trunk of his limo.

Matt

Replying to myself, here's the official press release:
http://www.rit.edu/~930www/webnews/v...y.php3?id=1005

Matt