Communications of the ACM
CMU Launches Initiative Using Robots to Boost Science, Technology Majors
A student competing in the FIRST Lego League.
Credit: FIRST Lego League
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has launched Fostering Innovation through Robotics Exploration (FIRE), a new initiative that will leverage students' interest in robots to increase U.S. enrollment in computer science majors.
FIRE is designed to reverse a significant national decline in the number of college students majoring in computer science, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. FIRE will develop tools that enable middle and high school students to expand on their interests in robots. "The idea is that these programs must be rigorous, but fun—what we call 'hard fun,' " says FIRE director Robin Shoop.
The Human-Computer Interaction Institute's Alice Project will work with FIRE to create an Alice Animation Competition designed to increase the number of girls engaged in computer science. The Alice team will collaborate with CMU's Robotics Academy to add virtual worlds to ROBOTC, a programming language that works with many of the educational robotic platforms used in robotics competitions. FIRE also will reach out to national organizations such as the Girl and Boy Scouts, 4H, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to engage more students in activities that prepare them to be future innovators.
From Carnegie Mellon News
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