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36 MTR July/August 2005 I t was a rainy Saturday in April, but the energy inside the pool house at University of Rhode Island (URI) was far from dreary. More than 150 energetic high school students, teachers, parents, judges and URI students were preparing to compete in the 2005 MATE ROV New England Regional Design Competition. Nine teams from all over New England were busy setting up posters, ROVs and staging areas for the day's events. Sounds of duct tape pulling off rolls, PVC pipes being sawed or drilled and students talking quietly with the judging panel so as not to tip off the nearby competition of their trade secrets created the buzz in the pool room. Smells of chlorine mixed with glue being applied to pesky underwater seals to ensure instruments were kept dry swirled around the top level. This was the fourth New England Regional competi- tion. The first two were held in Cambridge: one at MIT and the other at the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. The events were held at URI for the past two years. These events are completely organized by students. Head Judge Brennan Phillips ran the URI event last year when he was a senior. He served this year as head judge as a graduate student at University of Connecticut. URI senior, Ashley Bonaventure, ran the event at URI this year. In the case of the college locations, the Student Chapters of the Marine Technology Society performed all the organization, fund raising and event coordination. Having students run these events is so important, say Brennan Phillips. "It is a great way for college students to interact with high school stu- dents and for all concerned to work with industry repre- sentatives. Other student chapters of MTS have expressed A Bright Future Student ROV Design Competition By Maggie L. Merrill, Editorial Consultant Member MOTN & MTS The South Kingston High School team displays its inno- vative Leviathan ROV L-R Michael Gobell (12th grade); David Casagrande (10th grade); Casuarina Hart (10th grade) MTR#1 (33-48).qxd 7/19/2005 9:53 AM Page 36
