Unrelated?

[moojoe]

originally went to school after robotics for Theatre Design and Technology with a focus in Technical Direction...quite different from robotics.
but now I'm going to school for Technology Education, since I realized I believe in what FIRST teaches so strongly, and want to continue that to future generations.

[ebarker]

Any major is related to robotics if your experience with FIRST has inspired you and given you a more positive perspective of the relevance of science, technology, engineering, and math.

[Jessica Boucher]

Although everyone from Babson leaves with a BS in Business Administration, I focused in Technology Marketing & Corporate Strategy. I currently work for intelitek in Technical Support and get to work with robots on a daily basis. When you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to your goals.

Don't be fooled that engineering is the only true way and if you don't follow the path, you're a failure. You must ask yourself what your strengths are and apply them so you are happy and successful with what you do.

That being said, the technology skills that you learn here are golden, and should be nourished. You're already ahead because you know how science applies in real world situations, and if that means taking a class here or there or teaching yourself to gain a deeper knowledge later, go for it!

Additionally, if you had a positive experience in FIRST, then you're still a FIRST success story - your positive experience may inspire someone else to be involved, and as long as the program is growing that's what is important. Your experience changes the culture!

[BandChick]

I'm a Digital Media Arts major, but I wouldn't say it's unrelated to FIRST. While it's not science or engineering, it's still something that was essential to my experience with my FIRST team and the organization as a whole. Graphic design (flyers, t-shirt logos, button designs) and web design are two things I significantly improved on because of FIRST.

So I might not get to build robots in school, but I do get to create drag & drop web applications to "Build your own robot" or put together informational brochures advertising robots or competitions. I get to design t-shirt logos around robot functions.

Somehow, once FIRST hooks you, everyone finds a way to do something related with it.

Even molecular biologists - trust me, my mom is one, and she's in FIRST still. =)

[cziggy343]

im thinking about going into journalism... but im 16, i still have time to decide

[darkhaas10]

I am planning on Majoring in Cultural Anthropology but I agree that if you can apply anything you learned in FIRST to your chosen field than it is at least somewhat robotics related (even if what you apply is how to do a job well in a short amount of time). This comment is also coming from a sixteen year old who has time to change.

[Cynette]

After a year in computer science, my son switched to Culinary. Hard to find the relation there, but it still doesn't mean he was any less inspired by his time on a FIRST (FRC) team!

[ebarker]

Nearly every student that participates in FIRST will likely become a parent and/or teacher and/or career influencer of some type.

It is the power of exponents at work. If you can inspire only two people in the future then in a few generations the entire universe will be touched.

[dipmeinaluminum]

Television Studio.

[Mark McLeod]

I'd hate to have the team be limited to pre-engineering students.
The best ideas, the best solutions to problems, the most encompassing answers are incubated in diversity of thought, outlook, perspective, needs.

While we've had a lot of students go on to study Mechanical, Electrical, Aerospace, Computer Science, etc. engineering, and related hard science fields, such as, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Criminology,
we also have had a healthy mixture of some of our strongest student team members entering what you might think of, on first glance, as unrelated fields, such as,

• Political Studies
• Accounting
• Business
• Fashion Institute of Technology (but hey fashion is high technology right?)
• Graphic Design
• Art
• International Studies
• English
• Psychology (I wonder what that means...)

My son who got me into all this is pursuing a PhD in English/Psychology, while minoring in Computer Science. My daughter is a science major, and will probably choose a Biology major.


P.S.
My degree and profession is Computer Science, however, one of my minors is in technical theater. My first professional job was technical director for a black box theater. My wife has a Master of Fine Arts in Drama and her first professional job was stage managing for the Baltimore Opera. She now teaches English at CW Post.
Yet we're both fully involved in Robotics, and I think we bring some interesting perspectives to the students.

[Protronie]

Originally Posted by Cynette

After a year in computer science, my son switched to Culinary. Hard to find the relation there, but it still doesn't mean he was any less inspired by his time on a FIRST (FRC) team!

What could be better for a FIRST team than to have their own chef to cook for them during build season