Celebrating innovation Member News July 2019 13 Teams of young professionals and university students from across the Gulf Coorporation Council (GCC) showcased their robotics skills in a competition final held in April, in Dubai. Organised by IET volunteers in the EMEA region, the final marked the end of a six-round competition, tasking teams with building autonomous robots and completing various challenges. The six rounds were held in each of the GCC states during March and April, with each challenge taking on a theme chosen by the host country. In Qatar, in anticipation of the 2020 World Cup, teams built robots to score goals against a goalkeeper and defender. In Kuwait, robots had to travel through the borders of the country, holding and loading barrels onto a tanker truck, before sending the truck to its final destination. It was an opportunity for some of the region’s most talented technology students to showcase their flair for engineering, creativity and programming,” says lead organiser of the final round Dr Sherif Moussa. Competitors worked with real world, cutting-edge technology, and with only two hours to make modifications and practice in the competition arena, relied on team working and communication skills. “In local rounds, teams showed diversity of thinking, different capabilities and skills,” said one of the challenge’s lead volunteers Ebrahim Matter MIET. Sherif sees the competition as a valuable addition to other activities which promote engineering and technology to young people. “We are proud to have brought the finals of this growing regional competition to the UAE this year,” he says. “From our annual high school robotics competition, to our degree programmes that teach advanced skills in this increasingly pervasive field, we aim to be more proactive in getting students at every level to engage with the technologies that will define their future.” Now in its fourth year, organisers put the competition’s success down to the hard work and dedication of IET volunteers, combined with competitors’ enthusiasm and commitment. The winner of this year’s GCC Robotics Challenge was a team from the American University of Middle East, Kuwait, led by Dr Sammer AlKork. Second place went to a team from the Canadian University Dubai and third place to another team from the American University of Middle East. Our communities organise events around the world to encourage young people to engage with engineering and technology. Find out what’s going on in your local area by visiting theiet.org/ln Competitors preparing for the GCC Robotics Challenge final Young people show a “flair for engineering” in Gulf challenge