Are Engineering Societies Contributerss?

[Pavan Dave]

Does anyone know by any chance if ASME or IEEE are sponsors of any teams, events, or the organization FIRST itself? I have been looking but I came up empty handed. To think that they might actually support FIRST, or teams due to the goal of the program itself.

Pavan

[RoboMom]

You might be interested in this article written for the IEEE Scanner (Washington DC area) newsletter. I am not aware of any teams in this area sponsored by ASME or IEEE, but obviously we are trying to get people involved as mentors. I don't have a link for the article so I will just cut and paste below. Hope that is ok.

"March Madness" in Annapolis Features Student-Built Robots Playing Ball
By: Mike Gilliom

How does this thing work?
As I inspect the curious combination of sprockets, Plexiglas, and
bicycle chains, I try to determine how this robot is going to accomplish its primary goal of
shooting foam balls into a hoop ten feet above the ground. It seems like no more than a
plastic toy bin on wheels. I stare at it blankly. Finally, determined to understand, I make my way over to the competition area-a section of the Naval Academy field house closed off with aluminum rails and matted to protect the gymnasium floor from scuffing. In a few moments, six robots, designed by six different high schools will participate in a game not unlike basketball.

As the master of ceremonies announces the scores from the last event, teams in the queuing area move to the competition floor to set up for their turn to play. Music blares over the P.A. as the teams make final checks to their RC radios. Finally the buzzer sounds, and the robots
spring to life. I see immediately that the robot I was so interested in was not meant to shoot at the 10 foot goal at all, but rather runs speedily to the floor goal, a small door at the sideline of the playing area, and deposits a generous cache. Although floor goals are worth less points than lofting balls through the basketball-like hoop, it quickly becomes apparent that most robots can more efficiently score their points at ground level. That's not to say of course, that all the competitors had chosen this strategy. My attention quickly turns to Ms. Daisy,a brightly colored robot from a high school in Philadelphia. Daisy obviously has no trouble scoring points from the 10 foot goal.

One after another, it lofts its ammunition gracefully through the hoop. Like some kind of comically large Nerf ball machine gun, it makes me wonder what kind of a decrepit prototype I could have produced with my clumsy hands back in eleventh grade. I smile to
myself-in the illustrious words of my two favorite sock puppets, this team must be the
"Michael Jordan of Thomas Edisons"

The event I attended was a regional competition for FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), called simply the FIRST Robotics Competition. Nearly 100 teams, mostly from the Mid-Atlantic region, converged at the United States Naval Academy this March to establish robotic dominance. While some teams had trouble even getting their robots to respond under remote control (and let's be fair, these are high schoolers after all) some teams did so well that they could have earned a firstround draft in the robot NBA. Even as I walked into the field house, I instantly recognized the feel of a high school sporting event from my days as a swimmer. As I walked through the gym, however, I started to realize that this was more like the Kentucky derby than any high school swim meet that I'd ever been to. The excitement was tangible. There were painted chests and personalized team uniforms everywhere. Mascots ran rampant.

I was stunned to see such a difference from more "conventional" engineering competitions that I had been to. As an engineering student in college, I had participated in several, and none of them were as exciting as this. "That's exactly what we're trying to accomplish", says Janet Lathan, the director of FIRST activities for the DC area. "Kids like entertainment, and if you want to encourage high schoolers to pursue degrees in technical professions then you have to make technology interesting to them."
Encouraging high schoolers to pursue technical degrees is part of FIRST's mission statement, and well it should be; according research done by the Manhattan Institute, only 59% of students in the Washington DC area graduate with a high school degree.

Dr Chris Grimm, a team mentor from Ballou, an inner-city DC high school,agrees. "The best part about this competition is turning these kids into into real engineers," he tells me. "I'm amazed every year at how far they come [in terms of technical proficiency]" I can only agree as I watch his team work diligently on their robot, awaiting their next turn on the court. "Technology is their ticket out," he tells me later. When I ask him how many of his students have gone on to pursue college degrees he looks me right in the eye and responds with just one number: "100%"

The adults aren't the only ones who know how much good the competition is doing. The kids are as proud of their robots as the mentors are of the kids. Kevin Lyles, a student at Friendship highin Washington told me that the competition is different from other school projects because it's"more hands on and specialized. But also, as far as competing while getting this hands on experience, It's a whole lot better." Friendship is one of many teams in the competition whose robot improved in strides from last year. "It's nice playing more offense instead of just defense," Lyles admitted.

Denzel Twyman, a student at Roosevelt High School, tells me that he participated in the robot competition because he thought he would enjoy it. "Not a lot of people [at school] do it," he told me, "I just wanted to try something new." Since he joined the team he has learned to write software code and use electronic tools-things that most high schoolers don't get to experience. The icing on the cake is that Lyles and Twyman both tell me they are applying to college, and they seem to think that they might not have if it weren't for the competition. "It got the attention of the interviewer when I mentioned US FIRST," confided Lyles. "That was really encouraging."

Despite all the success that FIRST has had with their competition, however, they still feel
like some kids aren't getting the experience they deserve. "The money we get is very generous," Grimm told me, referring to third party donations to the FIRST program (in fact some teams are able to raise funds directly from corporations). "But we need people more than we need money."
FIRST encourages professionals to volunteer to help teams. Engineers can become mentors who work closely with one team, or they can help many teams by hosting seminars or workshops. Either way someone's got to teach these kids the skills they need to build their robots-some team mentors don't have the expertise, and some teams don't even have mentors.

The IEEE certainly has a large pool of professionals to draw from, although there hasn't been much response from the membership since the word has been slow to get out. Worse yet, now that the competition has taken place, it may seem too late to help out. "Not so" Lathan tells me. Most teams plan their designs for much longer than just the build season, in fact, schools are already recruiting their teams for next year. Even if it weren't for that, teams need to learn their skills with plenty of time to practice before they ever apply it to a robot. Volunteers are appreciated always, regardless of when they join. FIRST's efforts are certainly a good start, although it falls on engineers to promote the field of technology. We are the only ones who can share our experiences and generate more interest. Volunteering with FIRST is easy, just call Janet Lathanat 240-393-1464 to find out how you can help, or email janetlathan@comcast.net.

There are six teams in the DC area that competed at the competition this year, and there may be
more in the future. Starting a team at your own high school is also a possibility-high schools from
anywhere can participate, it's just a matter of registration. As I left the field house I glanced back to take one last look at the competition floor. The robots were still crashing into each other in a frenzy of foam and metal, and the spectators were yelling and clapping and cheering. Little doubt that the students and mentors alike who participated in this event are better for it, and the opportunity exists for countless more. The trick is getting more people involved.

[GeorgeTheEng]

In 2004, I beleive, IEEE sent a reporter to NJ who interviewed a number of IEEE member mentors from different teams. Aside from that, I know of no teams or scholarships that IEEE sponsors.

Hmm, maybe it's time to write a letter to them. (Before they notice I let my membership lapse)

In fact if we could get any members that are on Chief Delphi to write either to the IEEE Spectrum magazine or thier education group, maybe we could encourage them to provide team, regional, or scholarship support.

[Robyn Needel]

Jenny-
Thanks for reprinting this great article - I have sent it along to some of the people with whom we have been speaking about FIRST. Hopefully it will get them to see why we are so passionate when we talk about the organization :-)

Robyn

[lukevanoort]

IEEE sponsored us two years ago, but last year they said they wouldn't be sponsoring any teams for some reason.

[wendymom]

The ASME/ASME Auxiliery sponsers a 5000.00 scholarship every year. Many of their members are also involved as mentors, volunteers or judges. I suggest you contact the chapter in your area and set up some sort of dialog.

[KenWittlief]

Members of the IEEE are individual engineers. The IEEE is an organization similar to FIRST, it exists to promote the engineering profession.

In a way they are similar organizations, so it would be odd for one to be funding the other.

One could equally ask if FIRST teams are supporting the IEEE? They are not a company or business, they have no source of income except members dues and donations. Im certain there are hundreds of engineers who are members of their associated engineering societies, but I cant think of a reason why a local area chapter would be the sponsor of a team?

[lbarger]

ASME has sponsored our team (#926) the past two years through the local chapter. They do not qualify as a major sponsor for us, but every bit helps. Most professional organizations are non-profit and do not have a lot of cash to through around. That said, many have community outreach programs so anything is possible.

We have found that personal connections work better for finding sponsors than cold callings or bulk mailings. If you have a parent or mentor that is a member of a professional society, have them to make the initial contact.

[GeorgeTheEng]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

Members of the IEEE are individual engineers. The IEEE is an organization similar to FIRST, it exists to promote the engineering profession.

I wouldn't call it similar to FIRST. It is a professional society the same was a SWE, ASME, and a multitude of others. They had a fundamental interest in what FIRST does because they want students going to college in Engineering. Professional societies exist to advance thier field(s) or branches of engineering. They exist to provide education, networking, professional or technical standards. And in IEEE's case, they have a major political lobbying arm. So similar is a stretch, but you're right, they are not a corporation.

Yes they are not a for-profit business. I don't think they are non-profit in IRS terms either. They have a group dedicated to education which includes "pre-university" education (thier term not mine). They already give out 1 scholarship.

But let's assume that they have little money to spare. They are a large organization with engineers in hundreds of companies, big and small. If they put press on FIRST in a major publication and asked for volunteers and sponors for teams that could be a major boost.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by RoboMom

You might be interested in this article written for the IEEE Scanner (Washington DC area) newsletter. I am not aware of any teams in this area sponsored by ASME or IEEE, but obviously we are trying to get people involved as mentors. I don't have a link for the article so I will just cut and paste below. Hope that is ok.

"March Madness" in Annapolis Features Student-Built Robots Playing Ball
By: Mike Gilliom

Wow, this is the kind of journalist who should be writing articles for more mainstream media like ESPN The Magazine. Excellent stuff.

[Nate Laverdure]

IEEE sponsored us (612) both last year and this year. Our sponsors are listed at Chantilly Robotics Sponsors. Our contact there is very interested in continuing and strengthening the relationship.

Please email me if you would like more information.

BTW, I am a 2006 recipient of an ASME FIRST-Clarke scholarship.

[Evenstar_342]

I know a local ASME chapter sponsored an SC FLL team at Clemson, but I don't think I've heard of any other FRC teams being sponsored by either group.

[Andrew Schuetze]

The ASME Institute of Petroleum Technology International (Formerly the Petroleum Division) has sponsored many teams in Texas who attend the Lone Star Regional. They have been a significant sponsor for our team the last two years. I think they are a sponsor for the Cyberwolves and ...
I wonder if one can do a sort via team names that include ASME or IEEE or .

[Rick TYler]

The Northwest chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has been a sponsor of ours since our inception.