The event was hosted by Global Underwater Hub who design Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) that work in the sea for a variety of purposes, including clearing plastic pollution, fixing underwater cables that power offshore wine turbines and helping the Royal Navy.
A team of six of our Year 9 students took on the task of designing their own ROV that would work in shallow waters to gather data about areas with high plastic pollution. Students had to build their own robot, program the robot to complete specific challenges, design a company logo and design a 3D model of what their ROV would look like.
After a day of preparing, the team then pitched their ROV to a panel of expert judges (from the Royal Navy and Global Underwater Hub). In their presentation, they talked through their TV advert storyboard, the various sensors they had built into their ROV (e.g. A distance sensor which works through echolocation to detect objects nearby), the market cost of their ROV and its unique turtle design.
Science Teacher Ms Quigley-Curror, who organised the trip, said: “This was a phenomenal experience for our students, who learned a lot about some of the options that pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) can offer.
“Thank you to Global Underwater Hub and Manchester United Foundation for giving us the opportunity to get involved!”
STEM Challenge Trip Photos