As the national organizer of the 13th edition of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) to be held in Mexico in 2024, Jorge Hernández Huerta emphasized the importance of democratizing robotics and promoting STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics) education among children. He stressed the significance of encouraging the participation of girls and young people in these disciplines to address existing gender disparities.
The goal of this year’s WRO is to increase the involvement of girls and adolescents. Previously, their participation has been only at 30 percent. The WRO aims to nurture talent from childhood through appropriate spaces and tools, empowering them early on and offering them opportunities for future vocational training.
Hernández Huerta highlighted the importance of providing children with experiences in various fields as this exposure can lay the foundation for their future career choices. The WRO aligns with Mexico’s mission to introduce children as young as five years old to robotics and other technology-related fields from a young age.
Over the past 12 years, Mexico has made significant strides in introducing children as young as five years old to robotics and STEAM education. The WRO has been pivotal in promoting learning opportunities in these areas.
The WRO offers various categories for teams of children and young people aged 8 to 19 to apply their knowledge to real-world challenges using STEAM and robotics. The competition’s theme changes yearly, with this year focusing on “Allies of the Earth.” Teams of two or three participants will design, build, and program a robot model capable of completing challenges aligned with the competition’s theme.
Registration information, rules, and details can be found on the WRO website. The tournament will have qualifying rounds between May and July culminating in a national final in September followed by an international final in Turkey in November.
In conclusion, Hernandez Huerta’s emphasis on democratizing robotics and promoting STEAM education among children is essential for fostering innovation and technological advancement. By increasing participation among girls and young people, we can create a more diverse pool of talented individuals who can contribute significantly towards solving global challenges such as climate change.