Winners of 2014 International MATE ROV Contest
At the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center’s International Student ROV Contest, the prevailing teams represented countries from all over the world. During the event, which concluded in the first week of July, student teams competed using ROVs that they had designed and built. Jesuit High School of Carmichael (CA, USA) and Clarenville High School of Clarenville (Canada) came first in the Explorer and Ranger Classes.
Hosted at Michigan’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the winning teams participated in mission tasks, such as identifying a simulated shipwreck, collecting microbial samples, inventorying invasive species and removing trash. In addition, they prepared an engineering report, made a presentation to a panel of judges and created a poster display.
Each team is evaluated on the design, construction, and performance of its ROV; the members’ ability to communicate what they learned; and how they put their knowledge to use in developing their ROV. They competed in two classes based on vehicle design and mission complexity: Explorer (advanced) and Ranger (intermediate).
Explorer Class Winners
• First place -- Jesuit High School of Carmichael, Calif.
• Second place – Bauman Moscow State University of Moscow, Russia
• Third place -- Far Eastern Federal University of Vladivostok, Russia
• Top technical report – Bauman Moscow State University
• Top poster display – Jesuit High School
• Top engineering evaluation -- Linn Benton Community College of Albany, Ore.
• Top mission score -- Far Eastern Federal University
Ranger Class Winners
• First place -- Clarenville High School of Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
• Second place – Cornerstone Academy of Gainesville, Fla.
• Third place -- Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School of New Bedford, Mass.
• Top technical report – Cornerstone Academy
• Top poster display – Carrollton High School of Carrollton, Ga.
• Top engineering evaluation – Taipei American School of Taipei, Taiwan
• Top mission score – Clarenville High School
The MATE Center and the Marine Technology Society’s (MTS) ROV Committee organise the MATE ROV competition, which is supported by the MTS ROV Committee, the National Science Foundation, Oceaneering International, NASA, NOAA, and other ocean- and science-related organisations.
