The Autodesk Visualization Award In 2010 - Reinstatement Suggestions

[JaneYoung]

As we've recently learned in Bill's Blog, the AVA is going to be retired along with Inventor Award in 2010.

In another thread, some posts have been made addressing the retirement of the AVA. In the not-so-distance past, we received notice that the award was to be terminated at regional level and we created an opportunity to form and present a united community in full support of keeping the award in the FRC competition at regional level. It started with a thread discussion and culminated in a letter that was virtually signed here in Chief Delphi and then sent to the appropriate people.

We have that opportunity again. This thread is for discussing the interest in reinstating the award and how to best go about making our thoughts known in a timely and professional manner. I was a part of the other movement towards retaining the AVA and will be happy to be a part of this one.

Jane

[ebarker]

Question zero: what are we doing and why are we doing it ?

From FIRST: Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

I would like to respectfully submit to this working group that we create a well formed statement of what the award(s) recognize. For example there could be an award for design and another for creative visualization. The former award typically would be for mechanical or electrical design. The latter award could be much more creative.

To give you an idea of what the latter award might possibly recognize please reference Dr. Flowers presentation of April 1, 2009 at Olin College on educational reform. Please view this video, only 4 minutes of it from the 28:00 to 32:00 minute mark.

Pursuant to the mission and vision of FIRST we have an opportunity to reinvent the award and do something really cool and exciting. I know some of you would prefer to limit it to robotics topics but personally I would like to see a broader view of how Autodesk tools can be used to help reform education and explain STEM topics. My vote is to create a competition that will help transform education and get us into the 21st century classroom.

Of course I'm bloviating on a topic (Autodesk) that my group has not been particularly successful in doing. But we are committed to getting our work done and participating in the Autodesk competition in the future.

Ed