I know I haven’t been to active lately, but I really would like to use the platform I do have to inform the world of the passing of a genius, an inspiration, an icon, and one of the path-makers for the upcoming generation of innovators.
Dr. Woodie Flowers, MIT and Louisiana Tech Alumni, collage professor, husband, and co-founder of FIRST Robotics.
FIRST Robotics is a life-changing organization that looked at sports, acting, video games, and writing, and then looked at STEM, and said “Now, how can we make kids interested in STEM, too?” the solution was by making a program that was a combination of all of the above.
Founded in 1989 by genius inventor, Dean Kamen, FIRST; For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST launched with a mission of spreading a joy for STEM in hopes of not finding, but *creating* the next generation of innovators. As the program was attempting to get it’s footing, in 1990, Dean Kamen approached the T.V Host for Scientific American Frontiers, Woodie Flowers.
It was in 1992 with the assistance of Woodie Flowers, that Dean Kamen launched FRC: FIRST Robotics Competition. Four high schools constructed 38cm-50cm-34cm robots that weighed no more than 11kg.
Following the launch of FRC Woodie Flowers continued every year to be involved and active with the organization, and the people. He came up with innovative ways to introduce non-STEM enthused students to the program, coming up with the core values of FIRST as an all-inclusive, one of a kind environment.
Woodie Flowers has never been anything less than an incredible and kind person, describing himself as having a “genetic opposition to violence” with a “fierce, vocal loathing of any spectacle that involves crashing pieces of machinery into each other with deliberate force.” His goal was to create, and inspire, never to destroy. FIRST was a dream come true; FIRST mission to to have a fun, supportive, competitive environment where you must be cooperative with everyone or your team will fail.
FRC is not battle bots, it’s teams acting together as a solid force against others. It’s fun themes like video games, fantasy, steam punk. Or back in the old days, playing sports like soccer, Frisbee, basketball, using robots. Robots, that now are 4ft-8ft tall and over a hundred pounds. It’s three teams, paired randomly regardless of skill, language, or knowledge, in one alliance, against three times in another alliance, accomplishing tasks while controlling it via controllers that range from play station, Xbox, Wii, even Guitar Hero remotes.
It’s peaceful, it’s fun, it’s creative. There are other aspects in it where you get to write essays upon essays, record, video edit, act, script, and the award you get for it is the most prestigious, held above anything the robot does, in the eyes of FIRST.
This is Woodie Flower’s legacy, inspiring hundreds of thousands of kids from 83 different countries over 20 years. Being a professor at MIT, founding one of it’s most popular classes. He dedicated his life to helping others reach goals, so they can get to create life-changing things that his generation never could.
RIP Woodie Flowers, 1943-2019. My Hero.
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