New STEM Series: Massachusetts Icons Share Their Robot Stories

BOSTON, May 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MassRobotics and the Innovation Institute at the MassTech Collaborative are joining forces around a student-led virtual STEMinar series called Robot Stories. Starting May 20, the Robot Stories webinar will feature a robotic industry icon interviewed by local high school students. These weekly STEM-focused webinars will give viewers the inside stories of well-known roboticists in Massachusetts and the opportunity to interact with them about the future of robotics.

"Robots are amazing, and MassRobotics wants to engage with students and get them excited about STEM and robotics careers," said Khalif Mitchell, MassRobotics STEM lead. "MassRobotics offers programs where students build a modular robot with Autodesk, learn how to program a Root robot, experiment with industrial arms and even build their own drone at Drone Camp. And now we're bringing the stories of robotic pioneers, their companies, and success and failures right to students' homes."

The goal of the Robot Stories series is to inspire middle and high school students, along with teachers and parents, to build toward their own future as innovation entrepreneurs. Massachusetts is at the forefront of the robotics revolution, and the people and companies that are turning cutting-edge technology into solutions are right in our backyards.

STEMinar Sessions
May 20 - How to become a roboticist, with Laurie Leshin, President of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Learn how robotics is being taught and the many career paths you can pursue with a robotics degree. Laurie will be interviewed by Glaydson Pires, a junior at the Dearborn STEM Academy in Dorchester.

May 27 - How to build and run a successful robotics company, with Colin Angle, CEO and co-founder of iRobot. Learn about the story of iRobot's many different robot ideas before they developed the Roomba, and what Colin sees for humans and robots in the future. Colin will be interviewed by Jeralmi Canela, a junior at the Dearborn STEM Academy in Dorchester.

June 3 - How to turn your robotics idea into a start-up, with Helen Greiner, innovator and robotics expert for the U.S. Army and founder of several robotics companies. Learn what inspired her to get into robotics, the experiences she has had and what advice she has for those getting into the field. Helen will be interviewed by Elizabeth Garcia, a rising senior at the Roxbury Preparatory Charter School.

June 10 - How to further advance robotics technology, with Marc Raibert, founder of Boston Dynamics. Learn how Marc and his team came up with a unique approach to overcoming hurdles and what shapes robots will take in the future. Marc will be interviewed by Shayan Jeanty, a rising senior at Canton High School.

Register today: https://www.massrobotics.org/robotstories/

About MassRobotics
MassRobotics is the collective work of a group of Boston-area engineers, rocket scientists and entrepreneurs. With a shared vision to create an innovation hub and startup cluster focused on the needs of the robotics community, MassRobotics was born. MassRobotics' mission is to help create and scale the next generation of successful robotics and connected device companies by providing entrepreneurs and innovative robotics/automation startups with the workspace and resources they need to develop, prototype, test and commercialize their products and solutions. www.massrobotics.org

About the Innovation Institute at MassTech
The Innovation Institute is the entity that advances a core mission of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative: improving the conditions for innovation and cluster growth across the Commonwealth.  Created in 2003, the Innovation Institute intervenes in the economy in the following four ways:

• Conducts research and analysis that improves the states understandings of unmet needs and opportunities in the state's innovation economy;
• Serves as convener and key strategic broker on the landscape;
• Manages high-value projects on behalf of the Commonwealth; and
• Makes strategic investments in support of innovation-based economic development.

For more information visit https://innovation.masstech.org/

SOURCE MassRobotics

Related Links

https://www.massrobotics.org