This weekend, the pool in Reynolds Gymnasium will be filled with underwater robots built by students at Hanes Magnet School, thanks to a partnership with the Society of Physics Students at Wake Forest University through SeaPerch, a national program sponsored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research.
For the past three months, Wake Forest physics students and faculty have visited Hanes weekly to teach sixth through eighth grade students about robotics, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) while building an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV).
On Saturday, April 28 at 9:00 a.m., four teams will put their ROVs to the test as part of the highly visual SeaPerch Challenge in the pool on campus. Students will put their robots through a series of challenges to demonstrate learned physical concepts, problem solving, teamwork, and technical applications.
Of note to news media:
- Visuals: The demonstration Saturday morning will be highly visual. A viewing window of the pool underwater is available for additional videography and photography.
- Interviews: Several people will be available Saturday for comment, including Wake Forest students, Hanes Magnet School students and parents, and a STEM Education representative from the Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools.
- Location and Parking: Reynolds Gymnasium is in building 21 on the campus map. The pool is in the basement. Visitor parking is available nearby in lots M or N.
Why is the SeaPerch collaboration between Wake Forest and the Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools important to the community?
- The collaboration exposes local students at a young age to exciting STEM careers and courses of study available to them.
- With one project, schools can teach many of the concepts required for their grade level using a fun, hands-on activity for students.
- Students learn best by doing, and during the process of building SeaPerch, they follow steps to completely assemble the ROV, test it, and then participate in launching their vehicles.
- The Challenge fosters an end goal, rewards sportsmanship, spirit and presentation skills, as well as mastery of the concepts.
For additional information about SeaPerch, please visit www.seaperch.org.
About Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University combines the best traditions of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. Founded in 1834, the school is located in Winston-Salem, N.C. The University’s graduate school of arts and sciences, divinity school, and nationally ranked schools of law, medicine and business enrich our intellectual environment. Learn more about Wake Forest University at www.wfu.edu.
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