More than 190 teams and 1,300 middle and high school students from across the United States, Australia, the Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, including three teams from Louisiana competed in an underwater robotics competition at the University this weekend. Each team consisted of five to 10 students.
LSU hosted the Sixth Annual National SeaPerch Challenge, an underwater robotics competition sponsored by the Office of Naval Research on May 20-21. For Saturday’s competition, the students built and tested the robot’s ability to perform in multiple underwater competitions.
By participating in SeaPerch, a K-12 program, students learn about marine engineering and naval design. SeaPerch aims to introduce students to STEM education at an early age, particularly girls, minority and low-income students.
LSU’s College of Human Sciences and Education co-sponsored SeaPerch challenge. HSE director of outreach Mary Woods, who volunteered for the event, said SeaPerch is important because it exposes young students to possible careers in STEM research.
“If they’re exposed at a young age, the students are being introduced to STEM education … it’s just the whole package,” she said.
Students constructed robots from simple kits and were given a $20 budget for additional mechanisms. The students also presented a poster outlining the robot’s design, function and purpose.
Science education graduate student Michelle Gomez is an assistant for Bridgette Davis, the director of the Gulf Coast Regional SeaPerch Challenge and a University professor and said SeaPerch not only teaches students about engineering, but also teaches them about communication and teamwork.
“It sparks an interest for them to go into careers like engineering and STEM … but it gives them skills for presentation, and it gets them to work together as a team with other kids,” she said.
Although the SeaPerch challenge is beneficial for students participating in the challenge, the University benefits from hosting the challenge as well. HSE director of advocacy and outreach Renée Myer said as a result of the SeaPerch challenge, LSU is being exposed to future students.
“These are kids from all over that wouldn’t necessarily think about LSU,” Myer said. “By exposing them at this early age and getting their feet on our grounds, they leave here thinking ‘I want to be a Tiger.’”

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Emily Brauner

LSU hosted the National SeaPerch Challenge, on Saturday, May 21, 2016 at the Natatorium, where more than 1,300 middle and high school students put their underwater robotics to the test.