2010 Issue

39 robot with a rake for capturing “moon rocks” and a catapult for throwing them at opponent’s trailers. The team went to Las Vegas to compete in the regional competition. Things got a bit scary when their wireless controller burned out, leaving them unable to control their robot. They had to scramble to get a new controller, reprogram it, and test it so they could return to competition. What They Learn Students involved in FIRST and similar programs experience engineering first hand. They learn about design, manufacture, and testing. They learn about mechanical, pneumatic, electrical, and computer systems. They learn to debug, fix, and make do. They learn to stay on schedule. They learn to work on a team. They learn to creatively apply the principles they’ve been learning to accomplish some goal. But most of all, they have fun! It’s engineering at its finest! And when it comes down to it, is there any better way to learn engineer- ing? Learning the basic principles is important, but nothing can replace hands-on application of those principles. Come and See for Yourself This year there will be a regional competition at the Huntsman Center on March 18-20. Having a local regional has encouraged the formation of local teams – at this writing there are 17 teams in the state. Come see for yourself what FIRST is all about. Or, better yet, go to www.usfirst.org and find a team near you that needs your help. Get Involved! If we want the students of today to become the engineers of tomorrow, we, the engineers of today, need to get involved. We need to show them what we do, and why it makes a difference. We need to help with projects like FIRST, where they get hands-on experience with the excitement that engineering can bring. We need to get involved! Anything we do will make a difference. So find something that interests you, and do it. Share your experience with a student – they might become an engineer, as well. And who knows…they just might go on to change the world. Mr.HawsisagraduateofBrighamYoungUniversityandalicensedprofessionalengineer.Heworksfor ATKLaunchSystemsinPromontory,UtahandiscurrentlyservingasvicechairfortheUtahSectionofASME. Water / Wastewater Treatment - Conveyance / Storage - Water Quality / Watershed Management - Groundwater Development - Program Management - Construction Management - Act Globally Think Locally 10619 South Jordan Gateway, Suite 100 | Salt Lake City, UT 84095 801.617.3200 | www.mwhglobal.com