This website is home to the blueprints and resources for a free educational summer youth program that combines the outdoors with robotics and science! Led by the University of Minnesota, this site provides middle school students and adult volunteers with the resources for a fun, engaging experience with robots and science, all while learning how to care for the natural world around them.
Program At A Glance
Program Details
Here on this website, you can find all of the information and resources you need for you and your team of motivated students to learn how to be citizen scientists, helping with important University research: by equipping an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) with water quality sensing technology; by measuring the water quality of a lake near you; and by sharing and comparing your measurements with others across the state who have and are also participating in this program!
Getting Involved
If you are a student around middle school age who is interested in robots and/or the environment, this program is for you! Find a few adults and gather your friends! Our program launch for this summer is happening right now!
If you are an adult interested in helping out, you can learn more about the program’s content overview, survey the program’s equipment and supplies, and connect with us on Slack (coming soon). And when you are ready to dive in, you can register as a leader for our summer program launch (space is limited, sign up by May 3, 2025)!
Program Support
This program is financially supported by the State of Minnesota’s Environmental Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF), provided by approval of the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
This program has received considerable personnel support and collaboration from the staff of the nonprofit High Tech Kids, which is the Minnesota Program Delivery Partner for FIRST LEGO League Explore, FIRST LEGO League Challenge and FIRST Tech Challenge.
The faculty members who have collaborated on this project span many units at University of Minnesota, including UMN Extension, the CFANS Department of Soil, Water and Climate, and the Computer Science and Engineering Department and the Minnesota Robotics Institute, both housed in CSE.