In A First, All Girls Robotics Team Heads To Robot Olympics In Dubai

Meet the Geared-Up Girls. Yes! They are all-girls robotics team based in Mumbai and will be representing the country in FIRST Global Challenge, an international competition in Dubai. The team has five girls, motivated and powered up to display their knowledge and projects. Their manager and mentor will also be accompanying them. The event is in Dubai and the dates for the same are between October 24 - 27.

Here is the Mumbai based team who calls themselves Geared-Up Girls

Image Credit : ANI

The first member is Aarushi Shah who works on robot design, construction and electricals in the team.

The second one is Radhika Sekhsaria who is in charge of fundraising and programming.

The third girl Aayushi Nainan's main focus is on outreach and programming.

The fourth girl is Jasmehar Kochhar whose area of study is programming and strategising.

The fifth girl is Lavanya Iyeris who handles the robot construction and strategy department.

Key Takeaways:

• An all-girls robotics team based in Mumbai will be representing the country in the 3rd edition of an international challenge
• The theme for the FIRST Global Challenge is “Ocean opportunities”
• The aim is to focus on dealing with harmful ocean pollution that negatively impacts marine life and global populations. 
• The team is also working towards encouraging more girls to take up STEM

These teenagers share an unbridled passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Infact, they spend most of their after-school hours building robots. They have also been learning to apply the principles of mathematics and science in real-life scenarios to build robots. In the process, they have managed to inculcate the qualities of teamwork, communication and leadership skills that are of great use to them.

Passion for STEM

Around 2000 other students from 193 countries between the ages of 14 and 18 will be participating. The theme for the FIRST Global Challenge is “ocean opportunities.” The aim is to focus on dealing with harmful ocean pollution that negatively impacts marine life and global populations.

Image Credit: ANI

The task for these teams in hand is to figure out a way to apply their passion for robotics to build creations that can solve the conundrum of ocean pollution.

The girls are working towards the mission of making STEM education and robotics more inclusive. Interestingly, they have been touring schools to display the robot they've built for the competition among other events.

ALSO: STEM – How the human and technology relationship is changing

Addressing gender bias in STEM

Our team, however, is going with a dual mission in mind. Their goal is also to address the diminished gender ratio in STEM courses in India by raising awareness of the need for more and more girls to enter the field. Besides this, they have also been working with less-privileged girls to show them the amazing things they can do using STEM.

Let’s Applaud This Indian All Girls Robotics Team As It Heads To Global Stage

These determined girls are working towards the mission of making STEM education and robotics more inclusive. Interestingly, they have been touring schools to display the robot they've built for the competition among other events.

They were recently spotted interacting with some of the lower-income girls living in the slums of Dharavi and spoke to them about science and maths.

Image Credit: ANI

Shri Vijay Rupani, Honourable Chief Minister of Gujarat shared his words of encouragement. “The team is making consistent efforts towards making robots and also for popularizing the craft and its utility for the betterment of society at large. I, thereby, express my best wishes and blessings to the team for a grand success in education, the fields of their interests and future life. I am sure the nation will be benefitted by their interest, activities and the future R&D in the field of robotics,” he said.

They were recently spotted interacting with some of the lower-income girls living in the slums of Dharavi and spoke to them about science and maths.

It is heartening to see so many young girls busting myths and striving to prove their mettle in STEM which was till now considered to be male-dominated.

Also: Astronaut Barbie Is Here To Encourage Girls To Opt For STEM Careers

Pic credits: India Times