CEAT hosts 2024 FIRST Robotics Kickoff

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Media Contact: Desa James | Marketing Media Coordinator | 405-744-8626 | desa.james@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology hosted the annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotic Kickoff & Quick Build on Saturday, Jan. 6. The event had more than 400 attendees comprised of 47 different teams from across the state.

Students anticipated the release of this year’s competition game. As the introduction continued to countdown, the crowd erupted when Tulsa was mentioned in the kickoff announcement video. Being a global competition, the acknowledgment of their hometown excited the students.  

Teams were given the kits to build and program their robots throughout the next few months, along with 3,500 teams worldwide. Those that compete in district or regional events have the chance to participate in the culminating championship in Houston.

This year's competition, Crescendo, tasks teams with programming and operating their robots in a basketball-like game where they must have their robots shoot notes — circular objects — into their team’s amps and speakers stationed on the arena floor. The competition encourages coopertition — a term coined by FIRST’s founder, Dean Kamen, combining competition and cooperation — between the teams to harmonize their notes. The competition is a unique collaboration of STEM and the arts.

ENDEAVOR, CEAT’s undergraduate hands-on laboratory, hosted the group of aspiring engineers for a quick build event following the announcement of this year’s championship game. Newer teams were able to utilize this time and space to learn from mentors and seasoned professionals on how to best prepare for the competition.

CEAT used this opportunity to increase involvement within the STEM program in high school students by providing them with a location to be involved in the FIRST program. The program's mission is to build [students'] self-confidence and collaborative problem-solving skills and have a proven and lasting impact on STEM learning and interest, according to its website.