Promoting STEAM Education and Gender Equality: The 13th Edition of the World Robot Olympiad in Mexico
The 13th edition of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) will be held in Mexico in 2024, and its national organizer, 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 participation from girls and young people to address existing gender disparities.
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 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 boasts over 95 affiliated countries and a community of more than 75,000 students globally. It 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. This year’s theme is “Allies of the Earth,” where teams of 2 or 3 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 the national final in September and international final in Turkey in November.
