Young Boffins Fine-Tune Robots Ahead of Qatar Olympiad

Doha, October 22 (QNA) - A large number of school students in Qatar are fine-tuning robots ahead of the 2014 Qatar National Robot Olympiad in Doha this weekend. More than 250 student teams registered to compete in seven fields and three categories billed as the largest competition of its type in Qatar, organizers said. The National Robot Olympiad is the culmination of the year-long schools robotics programme, GO ROBOT, which has helped train more than 400 ICT, mathematics, and physics teachers in robotics in 2014. Sponsors Maersk Oil Qatar donated more than 500 robotics kits and 180 games tables to schools in Qatar. College of the North Atlantic Qatar President Dr. Ken MacLeod said, "The GO ROBOT programme focuses on increasing participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in Qatar. "Robotics improves problem-solving, creativity and competitions like the National Robot Olympiad add an extra layer of learning about team work and independent thinking." The Qatar National Robot Olympiad is organised by College of North Atlantic-Qatar is organizing the Qatar National Robot Olympiad which is endorsed and supported by the Supreme Education Council and Qatar Petroleum. Maersk Oil Qatar is sponsoring the event. Maersk Oil Qatar Deputy Managing Director Sheikh Faisal bin Fahad Al Thani said, "We are proud to once again sponsor the Qatar National Robot Olympiad and the year-long schools robotics programme, GO ROBOT. "Our sponsorship forms part of Maersk Oil Qatar's broader commitment to boosting participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Qatar which will help ensure the next generation of engineers and scientists propel the country forward. Good luck to all the students taking part." Each team of two or three students competing at the Olympiad will build and programme LEGO MINDSTORM robots under time limits and without their coaches assistance. "It has been a great year for the GO ROBOT programme and the Qatar National Robot Olympiad. When we first started hosting the competition in 2011, we had 69 participating. This year we will have over 250 teams, and will require 69 judges. This growth means more and more students are engaging in STEM activities in a fun yet challenging environment," said Dr. Theodore Chiasson, the organiser of the GO ROBOT programme and Dean of Information Technology at College of the North Atlantic-Qatar. Supreme Education Council, Education Institute Director Fawziya Al Khater said, "We are pleased to once again endorse the Qatar National Robot Olympiad and the year-long schools robotics programme, GO ROBOT. The look on student’s faces explains why robotics is a fun way of encouraging students to be more creative, critical thinkers and problem solvers. As part of our support, we included robotics in IT curricula for most grades at all Independent Schools." The Qatar National Robot Olympiad takes place this Friday and Saturday at the Ladies Sports Hall in Aspire Zone. (QNA)