By employing a design challenge to program an underwater vehicle to perform tasks, this project seeks to teach students about information technology, science and problem solving. Students and teachers involved in the project have face-to-face interaction with Stevens' women and underrepresented minority faculty, researchers and undergraduate students who help them design and test underwater robotic vehicles. Teachers, guidance counselors, and parents are provided with information about career options in information technology. Seventy teachers, 35 guidance counselors and 140 selected students participate in workshops at the Stevens Institute of Technology. The project provides all the equipment necessary for classroom use and support so teachers can implement the activity in their respective classrooms. The information technology in use includes: ROBOLAB (programming language based on LabVIEW), LEGO robotics components, microcontrollers, sensory data and data analysis, communication technologies and electronics.
