ROME, NY — The Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI), in partnership with the Griffiss Institute (GI), is proud to host the 11th Annual AFRL Challenge Competition, as one of their joint STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiatives.
The 2019 AFRL Challenge Competition begins Monday, April 15, 2019, and will end on Friday, April 19, at Griffiss Institute, 725 Daedalian Drive, Rome, New York.
The Challenge Competition is an annual competitive STEM initiative for local high school students. It is held during a week when students are on a school break and its intent is to provide a more realistic view into the types of high-tech problems the nation is facing today, and how engineers and researchers go about dissecting and solving these problems. The best explanation to describe the competition is “mental marathon”.
The teams will receive the challenge problem upon arrival Monday morning, and have the next four days to solve it. AFRL/RI engineers and scientists will be on hand to answer questions regarding the challenge problem throughout the week.
For many of the participants, being able to spend a week bouncing ideas off local engineers will be an incredible benefit and opportunity.
The AFRL Challenge Competition gives many of the participants a new perspective on the field of engineering and they get to learn more about the work that takes place at both, the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, and the Griffiss Institute.
The winners of the competition will be awarded paid summer internships, as well as other prizes.
On Friday, April 19, 2019, at 9:00 am, competition judging will begin, followed by a luncheon at 12:30 pm, and an awards ceremony at 1:15 pm, where parents and local dignitaries will be on hand to support, congratulate, and recognize these technology leaders of tomorrow.
“This year’s challenge is being developed by the Information Exploitation and Operations Division. The students will design, build, and execute an Air Force Mission as the cyber mission forces supporting a military operation. I expect it will be an eye-opening experience for the participants,” says Jeff DeMatteis, the AFRL/RI STEM Outreach Coordinator.
The ten area high schools participating in the 2019 Challenge are:
Students: Dale Windecker and Carter Wynn
Teacher: Wes Laurion
Students: Jessica Ritz and Kim Rivera
Teacher: Theresa Chesebro
Frankfort-Schuyler Central School
Students: Ryan Janis and John Tofani
Teacher: Christopher Snell
Students: Emmalee Howard and Jacqueline Mann
Teacher: Richard Zacek
Students: Noelle DiRuzzo and Lily Domes
Teacher: John DiRuzzo
Students: Wesley Appler and Joshua Macera
Teacher: Teresa Mann
Students: Sydney Boucher and Shaun Graves
Teacher: Dan O’Bryan
Students: Elena Davis and Chris Incorvaia
Teacher: Albert Bangs
Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School
Students: Nathan Angell and Eric Surprenant
Teacher: Sondra Whalen
Students: Austen Bowers and Jarrett Flint
Teacher: Nick Darrah
This year’s AFRL Challenge Competition is sponsored by CUBRC, Mohawk Valley EDGE, and A Moveable Feast by O’Connor’s.