Educators Will Explore Using Robotics for Classroom STEM Instruction
iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) today announced that it will host the STREAM
2009 workshop for robotics education on June 25-26 at its headquarters
in Bedford, Mass. In partnership with the Massachusetts Technology
Leadership Council and the University of Massachusetts Lowell, iRobot
has designed the workshop to expose educators to the many ways robotics
can act as a tool for their instruction related to science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM).
At the workshop, K-12 educators will participate in interactive sessions
and attend presentations given by their peers currently utilizing robots
to successfully teach STEM subjects. Representatives from
Massachusetts-based technology companies will also discuss the array of
career opportunities that exist for students interested in ultimately
working in the robotics field or other STEM industries.
STREAM 2009 is a component of iRobot’s larger initiative dedicated to
fostering elementary, middle and high school students’ interest in STEM
subjects. iRobot is committed to aiding teachers as they work to ensure
that America’s future is strongly rooted in math and science.
“STEM subjects form the building blocks for innovation, particularly
related to technology,” said Colin Angle, chairman and chief executive
officer of iRobot. “There is growing concern that the United States is
falling behind other nations in terms of math and science aptitude, and
the educators taking part in the STREAM 2009 workshop recognize that
robots have the potential to play an integral role in reversing that
downward spiral. Their goal is to excite students about the
opportunities that a passion for STEM could afford them in life.”
In addition to the interactive sessions, iRobot is also subsidizing the
cost of iRobot Create robots for interested educators. iRobot Create is
a preassembled mobile robot platform that allows educators, students and
developers to program behaviors, sounds and movements and add additional
electronics.
STREAM 2009 is comprised of two, full-day sessions. Fifty teachers from
local school districts are scheduled to attend the workshop. Confirmed
speakers for STREAM 2009 include:
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Michael Bastoni, GEARS Educational Systems
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Ricky Carter and Chris Hancock, Tertl Studos LLC
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Sam Christy, Machine Science
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Fred Martin, University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Melissa Pickering, Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach
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Ted Acworth, Artaic
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Benge Ambrogil, Kiva Systems, Inc.
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Kevin Brooks, Motorola
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Joe Jones, Harvest Automation
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Joyce Plotkin, Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council
Additional sponsors of the STREAM 2009 workshop are the Commonwealth
Alliance for Information Technology Education (CAITE), SIM Boston, and
The MIT Press.
To learn more about the agenda for STREAM 2009, please visit: http://stream.cs.uml.edu/.
About iRobot Corp.
iRobot designs and builds robots that make a difference. The company’s
home robots help people find smarter ways to clean, and its government
and industrial robots help protect those in harm’s way. iRobot’s
consumer and military robots feature iRobot AWARE® robot intelligence
systems, proprietary technology incorporating advanced concepts in
navigation, mobility, manipulation and artificial intelligence. For more
information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.
iRobot Corp.
Nancy Smith, 781-430-3323
Media Relations
nsmith@irobot.com
