Robotics Conference for Middle School Students Set for May 8

WHAT: Approximately 100 middle school students from 26 local schools will display the robot models they've built out of LEGO® pieces at the Mars Robotics! conference which will take place at the California Institute of Technology. Jointly sponsored by Caltech, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the LEGO Company, the event is intended to introduce students and educators to the world of scientific and engineering communication.

The students have been provided information on Mars and robotics, the LEGO parts necessary to build a model, and a Caltech mentor. On the day of the conference, the students will display their work and have an opportunity to discuss their design with professional roboticists, engineers, and other students.

WHEN: Saturday, May 8, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is not open to the public, but members of the media are welcome to attend.

WHERE: Ramo Auditorium and the adjacent Beckman Mall on the Caltech campus.

DETAILS: Highlights of the conference will include a high-tech "show and tell" where various robots will be shown; media will have the opportunity to talk with the scientists who work on them. There will also be a presentation by several roboticists, including JPL's Rob Manning, the Mars exploratory rover systems manager and manager of entry descent and landing; and DEKA research developer Benge Ambrogi, featuring the four-wheel-drive, stair climbing IBOT wheelchair.