Since 1993, BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) Robotics, Inc. has provided thousands of future engineering school students with valuable knowledge and experience.

This non-profit organization, created “to excite our nation's students about engineering, science and technology to unlock their imagination and discover their potential,” gives students the opportunity to apply basic engineering skills in a fun and educational manner.

On Saturday, October 25, 2008, the Ginn College of Engineering and the College of Science and Mathematics presented the 8th annual Alabama BEST 2008 robotics competition. Hundreds of students from 22 different middle and high schools in Central Alabama gathered at the Auburn University Student Activities Center to put their hard work and dedication to the test.

Each year, students are split into teams and given 6 weeks to create a functioning robot from a box of standardized materials and equipment. Students worked diligently with engineers from the industry to construct robots designed to perform an assigned task.

This year’s theme, “Just Plane Crazy,” challenged students to create robots that assembled air plane models. Robots have been a manufacturing hallmark of the automotive industry for decades; however, this technology has never been applied to the aircraft industry.

This competition gives students real-life application of their knowledge and exciting opportunity to learn more about engineering. The students enjoy the atmosphere and the light-hearted competition among neighboring schools.

"They come away from the competition with organizational and decision making skills, a better appreciation for teamwork, and the ability to analyze and solve problems. It's incredibly rewarding for them," said Dr. George Blanks, co-director of Alabama BEST and the BEST robotics program at Auburn.

And not only does this program benefit the students, but it also benefits Auburn’s engineering program.

“Our idea is that if we can get the kids hooked on engineering early enough- in middle school- and they continue the program through high school, they will have learned exactly what engineers do, they will be practicing hands-on engineering and they will have a jumpstart on starting engineering school,” said Blanks.

For more information on Alabama BEST go to www.alabamabest.org.


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