First year for super-regionals to be held
Friday, March 28, 2014
Written by: University Communication and Marketing
student from 2011 FTC competion working on robot
A student from the 2011 FTC competition works on a robot. Photo by Argenis Apolinario.

The University of Iowa College of Engineering and Rockwell Collins will welcome more than 1,000 high school and middle school students from across the United States when they host the inaugural North FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Super Regional Championship robotics competition April 3-5 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

One of four U.S. venues, the North FTC Super Regional Championship is composed of the top 72 teams from some 900 that competed in earlier rounds held in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C. during the 2013-2014 season.

The season will culminate in the FTC World Championship, April 23-26 at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo.

Teams consist of up to 15 middle and high school students, who work with the guidance of adult coach and mentors. Students design, build and program robots capable of maneuvering across a game field and placing plastic blocks into pendulum goals.

The tentative competition schedule is:

  • Thursday, April 3, team check in, inspection and judging.
  • Friday, April 4, opening ceremonies and qualification matches.
  • Saturday, April 5, qualification matches, semi-finals, alliance selection, finals and closing ceremonies.

In collaboration with Official National Sponsor, Rockwell Collins, the UI has organized and hosted FTC in Iowa since 2010. Iowa activities have included workshops, training sessions, kick-off events and competition events for the FTC teams located in Iowa and Nebraska.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 by Segway inventor Dean Kamen to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. For more, see: www.usfirst.org

Additional information about FTC-Iowa is available by visiting www.engineering.uiowa.edu/ess/future-students/k-12/first-tech-challenge or by contacting Rebecca Whitaker, UI affiliate partner for FTC-Iowa, at rebecca-whitaker@uiowa.edu or 319-244-8561.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact Rebecca Whitaker in advance at rebecca-whitaker@uiowa.edu or 319-244-8561.