BAE looking for more firms to help with FIRST Robotics
In the last decade, as the FIRST robotics competitions have grown from a regional school-technology contest to a worldwide phenomenon, one constant has been the central role of BAE Systems in funding the huge weekend-long competition that fills the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester.
So, when rumors began that BAE is cutting way back on its support or even withdrawing from FIRST entirely, it alarmed the huge community of volunteers, parents and students that spends half of each school year building robots.
At an annual kickoff dinner for the event, “People were approached, asking if we knew any new sponsors for the regional at Verizon, because BAE is pulling out,” said Amanda Connolly, chairwoman of the parent boosters for Team 151, Tough Techs, the FIRST robotics team for Nashua’s two public high schools.
That alarm is misplaced, says Jeff Rose, director of public affairs for the Electronic Systems division of BAE, which covers its New Hampshire operations.
Rose agreed that BAE Systems is looking for other companies to help sponsor the Granite State Regionals, but not because it wants to pull out. He said the company and FIRST want to get more New Hampshire firms involved in the event, which costs tens of thousands of dollars and thousands of volunteer hours to put on.
“FIRST Robotics wants to make sure that they’re growing the bench beyond just BAE Systems, because the program is so important for high-tech companies within the Granite State,” he said.
“The Granite State Regionals competition has always been a tremendous success. We’re proud of the role we play and look forward to continuing to do so for years to come.
“Not only does it get students excited about (science and technology), this is our workforce of tomorrow. This is a strategic and committed long-term partnership.”
FIRST robotics teams from Amherst, Hollis, Litchfield, Merrimack, Nashua, Pelham and Windham are among the 50 groups signed up for the Granite State Regionals at the Verizon from March 1-3.
BAE Systems employees often said it’s more difficult to act as technical mentors to teams. That is an important level of support, since finding experienced people who can spend hundreds of hours on nights and weekends helping with the mechanical, electrical, software and Web components of a FIRST team can be a challenge.
Direct money payments to teams is less forthcoming, too.
“I know their support for our team has been cut in half,” Connolly said. “I’ve heard the same from other (teams).”
For example, she said, BAE Systems is no longer the main sponsor of the Tough Techs team. That position is now taken by the Olsen Foundation.
She said it can cost $25,000-$40,000 a year to create a team and send it to contests. FIRST holds a national competition in St. Louis – it was formerly in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta – and many regional teams attend.
Despite the cuts, Connolly agreed that BAE’s support remains vital to FIRST.
“They have done so much for all of us,” she said.
As a sign of the company’s importance, “BAE Systems” is part of the official name of the regional competition, as well as some 15 of the 50 teams who will be competing in March.
The Electronic Systems division has up to 150 people who volunteer in various ways for the program, including scores who work at the Verizon Wireless Arena during the weekend contest, Rose said.
FIRST started in 1992 in a Manchester gym with 28 teams, including one from Nashua High School, as the brainchild of Manchester inventor and entrepreneur Dean Kamen, who wanted to give science and technology students the experience of big-time athletics.
Teams build a robot to compete in a game that changes each year, such as stacking inflatable tubes on strange metal cages, in a format that requires cooperation and competition.
It has become a phenomenon that has done more than even the Segway to raise Kamen’s profile in the technology community.
This year, several hundred teams from several countries are participating; one team each from Canada and Mexico will be at the Verizon.
David Brooks can be reached at 594-6531 or dbrooks@nashuatelegraph.com.
