Calling All BIOS Volunteers

Like to snorkel? Interested in supporting emerging marine engineers? Volunteers from BIOS and the Bermuda community are needed to assist on Saturday, April 27 from 8:00a.m. to 3:00p.m., as more than 30 teams of school students test their mission-tasked Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) during the annual island-wide robotics challenge.

The competition, held at the National Sports Center pool in Devonshire, is the culminating event of the Mid-Atlantic Robotics IN Education (MARINE) program, which encourages students to develop and apply technical, teamwork, and problem solving skills.

During the April event, students will put their designs through a series of maneuverability challenges as part of a product demonstration. The day will also include marketing poster demonstrations and engineering interviews for the students’ ROV companies. Awards will be given to students for a variety of accomplishments within these three major areas of competition. Teams of various grades and ages will compete at three levels: Beginner, Scout, and Ranger, one of the higher levels of competition.

BIOS Ocean Academy director Kaitlin Noyes, coordinator of the competition, said that volunteers are needed for snorkeling in the pool and for judging the competition on the pool deck. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. T-shirts and pizza will be provided. Interested individuals may contact Noyes with their preference for judging in the water or on the pool deck. The commitment will require one 40-minute meeting prior to the competition.

In the event of high winds or rain, the competition will be held on Sunday, April 28.