CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
23 January 2008
Events News
Dean Kamen Issues Mentorship Challenge to SolidWorks World 2008 Attendees
Inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology Dean Kamen challenged thousands of product designers and engineers at SolidWorks World 2008 to mentor young robotics competitors and inspire the engineers of tomorrow.
“Adults line up in droves to help young athletes develop their skills in pursuit of jobs in professional sports,” Kamen told more than 4,600 attendees of the SolidWorks World 2008 International User Conference & Exposition, the largest annual worldwide 3D CAD event. “We need technology professionals to show kids they have more options – they need to help young people discover the excitement and rewards of education and careers in science and technology. In six weeks, a FIRST mentor can provide a student with learning and inspiration that can impact a lifetime.”
SolidWorks Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Rainer Gawlick joined Kamen on the stage and announced support of the program. SolidWorks Corporation will provide free software to any teacher who is a FIRST Robotics mentor and participates in an internship with an engineering organization over the summer. SolidWorks will also provide free software to any company mentoring a FIRST team for use with a teacher they invite to intern at their organization.
SolidWorks software is widely used among FIRST competitors, and mentorships will make it easier for more students to benefit, according to SolidWorks Corporation. “We want to join Dean Kamen in fostering the engineering community at its roots, the young people who will become tomorrow’s engineers and tackle some of the steepest challenges in history,” Gawlick said.
In addition to being an acclaimed inventor, Kamen is founder of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) organization whose FIRST Robotics Competition helps students discover the rewards and excitement of science, engineering, and technology. More than 1,500 teams from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, the U.K., and every state in the U.S. are participating in this year’s competition.
“You have all drawn on mentors,” Kamen told the engineers. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here. Please consider sharing your expertise.”
For information on FIRST Robotics mentoring, visit http://www.usfirst.org/. For information on teacher internships, visit http://www.solidworks.com/FirstTeacher.
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