Ocean technology competition inspires the next generation of STEM leaders

The Global Ocean Biogeochemistry (GO-BGC) Array is building a network of chemical and biological sensors that will monitor ocean health from pole to pole. Building on the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) program which deployed hundreds of robotic floats with biogeochemical sensors in the Southern Ocean, this game-changing technology is transforming how oceanographers and climate scientists observe and understand our changing ocean.

The MATE ROV Competition uses underwater robots to inspire and challenge students to learn and creatively apply science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to solve real-world problems and strengthen their critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation. As part of the GO-BGC outreach efforts, the MATE ROV Competition offered a MATE Floats! “satellite” challenge. In this challenge, teams of students in grades 4–16 are tasked with building a float that uses active ballasting to descend to depth and back to the surface.

At the 2022 Monterey Bay Regional MATE ROV Competition, students showcased their floats and learned about the challenges of developing, building, and deploying ocean science technology. This program inspires students to explore STEM fields and many of them go on to become the engineers and scientists that are building the next generation of ocean technology. In 2022, the MATE ROV Competition is highlighting the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and inspiring our global community to embrace environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts to create a sustainable future on our ocean planet.

The MATE ROV Competition was created by The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center, a national partnership of organizations working to improve marine technical education and in this way help to prepare America’s future workforce for ocean occupations.

Learn more about SOCCOM: https://soccom.princeton.edu/
Learn more about GO-BGC: https://www.go-bgc.org/
Learn more about the MATE Float Challenge: https://www.go-bgc.org/outreach/mate and the MATE ROV Competition: https://materovcompetition.org/

Video producers: Madison Pobis and Madeline Go
Production team: Heidi Cullen, Kyra Schlining, Nancy Jacobsen Stout, Susan von Thun
Music: Conceptual Solutions

GOB-BGC is Supported by the National Science Foundation Awards 1946578 and 2110258

SOCCOM is supported by the National Science Foundation Awards PLR 1425989 and OPP 1936222.