BAE Systems boosts FIRST support.BAE Systems BAE Systems British manufacturer of aircraft, missiles, avionics, naval vessels, and other aerospace and defense products. BAE Systems was formed (1999) from the merger of British Aerospace (BAe) with Marconi Electronic Systems. is increasing its contribution to FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) to more than $1 million annually through donations of money, resources and employee volunteering. By increasing its level of support, BAE becomes a "Strategic Partner" of FIRST, and the largest corporate contributor to the FIRST robotics competition The FIRST Robotics Competition is a high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. As of early 2007, 1,303 high school teams of 32,500[1] students from Brazil, Canada, The Netherlands, Israel, the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and others compete to . BAE also will fund competition team grants and college scholarships for FIRST students attending select universities across the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . "FIRST is an amazing, inspiring organization that makes math and science fun for kids through teamwork and friendly competition," said Walt Havenstein Walter P. "Walt" Havenstein is an American businessman, engineer and former United States Marine. Since 2007-01-02 he has been president & CEO of BAE Systems Inc., the US subsidiary of BAE Systems plc and a board member of BAE Systems plc. , president and chief executive of BAE and a FIRST board member. "Our donation is an investment in the future high-tech workforce BAE Systems and America will need in the 21 st century." BAE Systems has supported FIRST and the robotics competition since the early 1990s, shortly after the not-for-profit organization was founded by inventor Dean Kamen Dean L. Kamen (born April 5, 1951) is an American entrepreneur and inventor. Born in Rockville Centre, New York, he attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute, but dropped out before graduating. His father is Jack Kamen, an illustrator of Weird Science and other EC Comics. to foster competition by high school students and their team-assembled robots. Since then, more than a dozen former FIRST participants have been hired by BAE Systems, and many more have interned in the company's labs and offices. During the 2008 season, which runs from January through April, students build robots to compete and co-operate in three-team alliances at Regional events and the FIRST Championship. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this year's game, "FIRST Overdrive," robots are designed to race around an oval track, move large balls around the track, and pass the balls over or under a 6-foot-6-inch overpass. Robots may be programmed for autonomous movement and operated by radio control. Of the more than 1,300 teams participating in the 2008 season nationwide, BAE will directly support up to 60 teams located near BAE Systems sites in 12 states and the District of Columbia District of Columbia, federal district (2000 pop. 572,059, a 5.7% decrease in population since the 1990 census), 69 sq mi (179 sq km), on the east bank of the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (the capital of the United States). . The company also will sponsor seven of the 41 FRC FRC abbr. functional residual capacity FRC see functional residual capacity. regional events as well as the FIRST championship, which will be held April 17-19 in Atlanta. |
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