New England Institute of Technology to Host FIRST® Robotics Competition

East Greenwich, RI – New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) will sponsor the 12th annual FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge on Saturday, February 3, 2018, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m.) Serving as Rhode Island’s FIRST® Tech Challenge Affiliate Partner, NEIT will host 32 Rhode Island middle and high school robotics teams at the university’s Center for Automotive Technology located at 101 Access Road, Warwick, Rhode Island.

Accomplished inventor, Dean Kamen, founded FIRST® in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in students through the fun of robotics. The goal is to engage students to develop problem solving, critical thinking, and innovative reasoning skills using custom-designed robots. The participating Rhode Island teams will compete for the chance to travel to regional and national competitions.

“NEIT is proud to provide this opportunity to Rhode Island middle and high school students who have an interest in engineering technology,” stated Erin Flynn, Director of Enrollment Management Outreach at New England Tech and the Rhode Island Affiliate Partner for the FIRST® Tech Challenge. “The FIRST® program has led to the development of robotics courses as well as full robotics programs in many Rhode Island schools. Not only are the students using STEM disciplines in designing their robots, they are also sharpening their critical thinking, teambuilding and leadership skills which will prove to be invaluable as they continue their education and pursue their careers.”

New England Tech will serve as the central point of contact for all participating teams. The event is free and open to the public. For more information on the FIRST® Tech Challenge, contact Erin Flynn, at 401-739-5000, ext. 3462 or by email eflynn@neit.edu. To learn more about the FIRST® organization, please visit www.usfirst.org.