2011-2012

News Release

REF NO.: 172

SUBJECT: High school students compete in Marine Institute ROV competition

DATE: May 3, 2012

High school students from across the province will come to the Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland on Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May 5, for the Marine Advanced Technology Education Centre (MATE) remotely operated vehicle (ROV) regional competition.
The competition takes place at the Marine Institute’s flume tank, and the media and general public are invited to attend.
This year’s competition theme highlights the role that ROVs play in evaluating Second World War shipwrecks and the potentially hazardous material that they may still contain. During the competition, teams will have to complete two tasks – survey the shipwreck site and remove fuel oil from the shipwreck.
Students from 22 high schools will have an opportunity to design, build and operate a remotely operated vehicle to execute specified tasks defined by MATE.
The top two teams from this event will earn the opportunity to participate in the MATE International ROV Competition at the YMCA Aquatic and Family Center in Orlando, Fla., June 21-23, 2012.
The high school MATE ROV competition begins on Friday, May 4, with the opening ceremonies in the MI gymnasium at 6 p.m. On Saturday, May 5, the ROV competition takes place from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Marine Institute flume tank. The closing ceremonies and awards banquet begin at 5 p.m. in the MI cafeteria.
The competition is supported by the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, Hibernia Management and Development Company, Terra Nova, Statoil, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Subsea7, AMEC and Husky Energy.
Schools taking part in the event include Ascension Collegiate High School, Belanger Memorial, Botwood Collegiate, Carbonear Collegiate, Clarenville High School, Corner Brook Regional High, E.A Butler All Grade, Gander Collegiate, Heritage Collegiate, Holy Spirit High School, Holy Trinity High School, J.M. Olds Collegiate, Lewisporte Collegiate, Mount Pearl Senior High School, O'Donel High School, Pearson Academy, Prince of Wales Collegiate, Queen Elizabeth Regional High School, St. James' Regional High, St. Lawrence Academy, St. Mark’s School and St. Michael's Regional High.
The Marine Institute will also resume the MATE ROV SCOUT competition for junior high school teams under the Eastern School Board that were unable to travel to the event originally held in March due to weather. That event gets underway Sunday, May 6, at 9 a.m.

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