The Robotics Teaching and Out-Reach Lab (RoToR)

Together with the program for Math, Science and Technology Initiatives (MaST), Dr. Zhang co-founded the Robotics Teaching and Out-Reach (RoToR) lab on the Savannah campus. The lab is endowed with 900 square feet of space, 12 workstations, a 12’x12’ competition field for FIRST Tech R and VexTMRobotics competitions, and a variety of educational robots. The RoToR has provided to teach an undergraduate level course in robotics (ECE 4560), which is the first time a senior level robotics course has been taught in the Savannah area. In the spring of 2008, RoToR served five high school robotics teams with activities ranging from informal trouble shooting sessions and programming tutorials to a local competition. RoToR is now the centerpiece of high school robotics outreach activities. With 2 LEGO teams in 2005, 5 teams in 2006 and 14 teams in 2007, MaST served approximately 140 grade school and middle school students in 2007-08. With the establishment of RoToR and the offering of workshops, the competency of four local high school teams has greatly improved, with students moving beyond sample programs and writing code of their own. In our first summer camp for high school students, MaST and RoToR are currently hosting 19 high school students from 14 schools. Building on the summer camp format, we have now established a Robotics Explorer Post for Boy Scounts through the Learning for Life Program to serve multiple schools in 2008-09.