Robotics Showdown: NSWC Philadelphia-Guided Team Triumphs at FIRST Championship

A high school team advised by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) has achieved a world title at the FIRST Robotics Championship held in Houston, Texas. The victorious team, RoboLancers from Central High School in Philadelphia, won the championship in collaboration with teams from Arizona, Missouri, and Israel.

This victory underscores the significant contributions of NSWCPD in aiding local public school robotics teams, many of which are underserved and underfunded. It also highlights the valuable work performed by the Naval STEM Coordination Office stationed at the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

The Naval STEM office is instrumental in coordinating STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) initiatives and workforce programs across the Department of the Navy (DoN). These efforts align with the Naval S&T Strategy unveiled in April by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, emphasizing STEM as a key focus area.

Through supporting commands engaged in mentoring FIRST Robotics teams, Naval STEM fulfills its mission. Sandy Landsberg, Naval STEM Coordination Office executive and a division director in ONR’s C5ISRT Department, emphasized the importance of fostering a naval STEM ecosystem dedicated to sustaining student interest in science and technology careers. “The FIRST Robotics Competition serves as an excellent platform, promoting awareness of technical career paths within both civilian and naval sectors,” Landsberg stated.

FIRST, a global nonprofit organization, aims to ignite student interest in STEM fields through mentor-based robotics programs for pre-K-12 students. Naval STEM backs hundreds of FIRST Robotics teams annually across various commands and warfare centers, guiding them from design to regional competitions in hopes of national selection.

Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific mentors multiple teams and organizes regional contests, while smaller yet crucial initiatives exist at other centers. For instance, Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego supported a nascent team from Lincoln High School, which impressively advanced to a regional competition in its debut year.

In the previous year, the DoN supported 526 FIRST Robotics teams, with 31 advancing to the championship. The longstanding partnership between NSWCPD and the RoboLancers, dating back to 2014, has positively impacted numerous local schools through the Philadelphia Robotics Coalition, founded by the RoboLancers in 2016 with NSWCPD support. The team’s contributions to STEM earned them the Impact Award at the 2023 FIRST Robotics Championship.

The 2024 FIRST Robotics Championship featured the theme “Crescendo,” during which robots competed in tasks like collecting foam rings, placing them in designated goals, and climbing stages. Teams from eight divisions formed alliances to vie for the championship title.

“Witnessing the RoboLancers’ victory and being part of their journey is an incredible experience,” said Tristan Wolfe, STEM outreach coordinator for NSWCPD. “The world championship win is remarkable, but the 2023 Impact Award is equally meaningful as it reflects community outreach and NSWCPD’s dedication to nurturing future scientists and engineers.”