Yellowstone Times

Montana State University is set to host two significant robotics competitions for young students on February 7 and 8. These events, which are open to the public, will feature nearly 100 teams from across Montana.

The FIRST Lego League competition will take place on February 8 in Inspiration Hall, Norm Asbjornson Hall. This event will see students from grades 4-8 competing for the state championship after months of building and programming robots using Lego kits. The number of participating teams has risen from around 60 last year to 95 this year. Competitors will perform "missions" on pool table-sized fields, with matches available for public viewing both in person and via a YouTube livestream starting at 10:45 a.m. Mountain time.

On February 7, students from grades 7-12 will participate in the divisional round of the FIRST Tech Challenge in Shroyer Gym. This competition involves more complex robots and is similarly open to the public with a livestream beginning at the same time.

Loribeth Evertz, an associate teaching professor in MSU's Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and coordinator of these competitions, highlighted the supportive environment among teams: "This program is rewarding to be a part of, in part due to the support across teams. Yes, they are competing for awards, but if a team needs a missing piece or guidance on how to address a challenge, students jump to lend a helping hand." She emphasized that teamwork and leadership are also crucial evaluation criteria alongside robot design.

Students aiming to compete at MSU must first qualify through tournaments held in Billings, Helena, Kalispell, or Missoula on January 25. Rob Maher from MSU's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will oversee judging while Haley Ketteler from the College of Engineering will act as head referee.

Successful teams from the FIRST Lego League will advance to national competitions scheduled for April 16-19 in Houston.

These events are sponsored by several organizations including the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering, Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Extreme Networks, Gianforte Family Foundation, Montana Learning Center, Montana Credit Union Network, Montana Robotic Alliance and Northwestern Energy.