Program Overview

Join us May 10, 2008 for the Third Annual
Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch Challenge
Drexel University
Daskalakis Athletic Center
Event: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Registration: 8:30 am - 9:00 am

Theme

Coming Soon!

Background

MIT Sea Grant's new Sea Perch program introduces pre-college students to the wonders of underwater robotics. Part of the Office of Naval Research's initiative, "Recruiting the Next Generation of Naval Architects," this program teaches students how to build an underwater robot (called a Sea Perch), how to build a propulsion system, how to develop a controller, and how to investigate weight and buoyancy. This endeavor is one of many exciting new projects funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) as part of its National Naval Responsibility Initiative. The initiative focuses on bringing academia, government and industry to work together to ensure that the talent needed to design the Navy's next generation of ships and submarines will be there when needed.  To visit the MIT Sea Perch website please visit http://web.mit.edu/seagrant/edu/seaperch/WhySP.html.

So how did it end up in Philadelphia?

The Delaware Valley Section of the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) and the Philadelphia Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) brought the Sea Perch program to Philadelphia and Drexel University. ONR funds the kits that ASNE and NSWC provide for the competition. In the spring of 2005 Drexel hosted a teacher training and through contact with the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of College and Career Awareness Secondary Robotics Initiative the idea for hosting the first ever Sea Perch competition came about.  The Secondary Robotics Initiative brought the Delaware Valley Industrial Research Council (DVIRC) onboard as a partner to round out the industrial expertise.  The first Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch Challenge Sea Search and Rescue was held at Drexel University on Saturday, June 3, 2006.

Eligibility

The Greater Philadelphia Sea Perch Challenge is open to middle school and high schools and community colleges in the Philadelphia region.  The goal is to increase student interest in robotics, science, mathematics, engineering and technology and to introduce students to naval engineering.