SeaPerch
Encyclopedia
The SeaPerch Remotely Operated Vehicle
(ROV) educational program was inspired by the 1997 book, Build Your Own Underwater Robot and other Wet Projects, by Harry Bohm and Vickie Jensen. A SeaPerch is an educational tool and kit that allows elementary, middle, and high-school students to construct a simple, remotely-operated underwater vehicle, or Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), from polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) pipe and other readily made materials. The SeaPerch program is a curriculum designed program that teaches students basic skills in ship and submarine design and encourages students to explore naval architecture and marine and ocean engineering concepts. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Sea Grant (MITSG) College Program created the SeaPerch initiative in 2003, and it is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research
, as part of the National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering (NNRNE) to find the next generation of Naval Architects, Marine Engineers
, Naval Engineers, and Ocean Engineer
s.
program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in order to interest more students in majoring in Ocean Engineering. Realizing the potential of SeaPerch to reach younger students, the MIT Sea Grant (MITSG) College Program created the SeaPerch initiative in 2003, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. The individuals responsible for the MIT Sea Grant were Dr. Chryssostomos Chryssostomidis, MITGS Director, and Brandy Wilbur, Educational Coordinator.
(SNAME) to research ways to expand and enhance the SeaPerch initiative as part of the ONR National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering Outreach effort.
In addition to the curriculum which promotes naval and marine engineering, and naval architects, the SeaPerch program also focuses on presenting the possibilities of technical careers to minorities and girls – underrepresented populations.
The first SeaPerch event that took place was the Prince William County Public Schools
SeaPerch ROV competition day, which attracted more 150 students forming 42 teams from nine schools, at April 26, 2008 held at George Mason University
Fairfax campus (Va.). This was reportedly the first-ever sub-sea robotic competition in the state of Virginia.
, Hawaii
, Washington, Georgia
, Pennsylvania
, Maryland
and Connecticut
.
Remotely operated vehicle
A remotely operated vehicle is a tethered underwater vehicle. They are common in deepwater industries such as offshore hydrocarbon extraction. An ROV may sometimes be called a remotely operated underwater vehicle to distinguish it from remote control vehicles operating on land or in the air. ROVs...
(ROV) educational program was inspired by the 1997 book, Build Your Own Underwater Robot and other Wet Projects, by Harry Bohm and Vickie Jensen. A SeaPerch is an educational tool and kit that allows elementary, middle, and high-school students to construct a simple, remotely-operated underwater vehicle, or Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), from polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
(PVC) pipe and other readily made materials. The SeaPerch program is a curriculum designed program that teaches students basic skills in ship and submarine design and encourages students to explore naval architecture and marine and ocean engineering concepts. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
Sea Grant (MITSG) College Program created the SeaPerch initiative in 2003, and it is sponsored by the Office of Naval Research
Office of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
, as part of the National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering (NNRNE) to find the next generation of Naval Architects, Marine Engineers
Marine propulsion
Marine propulsion is the mechanism or system used to generate thrust to move a ship or boat across water. While paddles and sails are still used on some smaller boats, most modern ships are propelled by mechanical systems consisting a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, in jet...
, Naval Engineers, and Ocean Engineer
Ocean engineering
Ocean engineering is an ambiguously defined term that may refer to:*Oceanographic engineering, also called marine electronics engineering, concerned with the design of electronic devices for use in the marine environment, such as the remote sensing systems used by oceanographers*Offshore...
s.
Goal
The Goal of SeaPerch is to build and sustain a long-term effort to address the problem of decreasing college enrollments in engineering and technical programs by introducing elementary, middle, and high school students to science and engineering through hands on activities.Background
The U.S. has fallen from 3rd to 17th in the world in the number of college graduates in engineering programs. The US Government has concluded that there is a critical shortage of undergraduates receiving their degrees in science and engineering. In the US, only 5% of science degrees are awarded in Engineering, as compared with 50% in China. The US Government believes this situation results in a decrease in competitiveness, as human capital is a particularly important factor in scientific research and engineering applications. An estimated 400,000 engineers will be needed by 2010. This vulnerability will result in a lack of expertise in mission-critical areas if not addressed. This situation is one that the US Government is attempting to address through programs such as the National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering Outreach effort, and SeaPerch is one of the programs supported by the NNRNE.History
The SeaPerch Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) educational program was inspired by the 1997 book, Build Your Own Underwater Robot and other Wet Projects, by Harry Bohm and Vickie Jensen.MIT
In 1997, Dr. Tom Consi introduced SeaPerch to the Ocean EngineeringOcean engineering
Ocean engineering is an ambiguously defined term that may refer to:*Oceanographic engineering, also called marine electronics engineering, concerned with the design of electronic devices for use in the marine environment, such as the remote sensing systems used by oceanographers*Offshore...
program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in order to interest more students in majoring in Ocean Engineering. Realizing the potential of SeaPerch to reach younger students, the MIT Sea Grant (MITSG) College Program created the SeaPerch initiative in 2003, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. The individuals responsible for the MIT Sea Grant were Dr. Chryssostomos Chryssostomidis, MITGS Director, and Brandy Wilbur, Educational Coordinator.
SNAME
In late 2007, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) tasked the Society of Naval Architects and Marine EngineersSociety of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers is a professional society that provides a forum for the advancement of the engineering profession as applied to the marine field...
(SNAME) to research ways to expand and enhance the SeaPerch initiative as part of the ONR National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering Outreach effort.
Teaching SeaPerch
An important aspect of SeaPerch is that the program provides free teacher training to a school district or region, training the teachers and sharing additional classroom usage ideas. Continuing education and/or Professional credits may be offered, as educators are often required to attend workshops throughout the year.Curriculum
Teachers are provided with an established curriculum that was designed to meet many of the national learning standards identified by the government. With one project, many with one project, schools are able to teach many of the concepts required for their grade level: an efficient use of time, and a fun, hands-on activity for students. Some of the concepts the students learn during the build include:| SeaPerch Learning Concepts |
|---|
| Ship and sub design |
| Buoyancy Buoyancy In physics, buoyancy is a force exerted by a fluid that opposes an object's weight. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus a column of fluid, or an object submerged in the fluid, experiences greater pressure at the bottom of the... /Displacement Displacement (ship) A ship's displacement is its weight at any given time, generally expressed in metric tons or long tons. The term is often used to mean the ship's weight when it is loaded to its maximum capacity. A number of synonymous terms exist for this maximum weight, such as loaded displacement, full load... |
| Propulsion |
| Soldering/tool safety |
| Vectors |
| Circuits and switches |
| Ergonomics |
| Depth measurement |
| Biological sampling |
| Attenuation Attenuation In physics, attenuation is the gradual loss in intensity of any kind of flux through a medium. For instance, sunlight is attenuated by dark glasses, X-rays are attenuated by lead, and light and sound are attenuated by water.In electrical engineering and telecommunications, attenuation affects the... of light |
| Moment arm, basic physics of motion |
In addition to the curriculum which promotes naval and marine engineering, and naval architects, the SeaPerch program also focuses on presenting the possibilities of technical careers to minorities and girls – underrepresented populations.
SeaPerch Challenges
At the completion of the SeaPerch construction, students are encouraged to test their vehicles, deploy them on “missions”, and compete in culminating event, the SeaPerch Challenge. The SeaPerch Challenge is a one-day district-wide competition in which students are given the opportunity to take what they have learned throughout the curriculum to the next level. The challenge fosters an end goal, rewards sportsmanship, spirit and design skills, as well as mastery of the concepts. Events at the challenge can include:| SeaPerch Challenge Events |
|---|
| Vehicle Performance- Maneuvering and Recovery |
| Innovative Design – Optional |
| Team Presentations – Oral Presentations to Judges |
| Design Notebooks – Document planning, design, construction, testing and learning |
| Team Spirit and Sportsmanship – At the event |
The first SeaPerch event that took place was the Prince William County Public Schools
Prince William County Public Schools
Prince William County Public Schools is a Virginia school division with its headquarters in the Kelly Leadership Center in unincorporated Prince William County, Virginia, United States...
SeaPerch ROV competition day, which attracted more 150 students forming 42 teams from nine schools, at April 26, 2008 held at George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
Fairfax campus (Va.). This was reportedly the first-ever sub-sea robotic competition in the state of Virginia.
Stakeholder Conference
The first annual SeaPerch Stakeholders Conference was held August 4–6, 2009 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Office of Naval Research, in cooperation with The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers hosted the inaugural event to bring those interested in the underwater robotics program together to exchange ideas and information and to network.Statistics
SeaPerch has provided over 4,000 students with the opportunity to learn about underwater robotics by building a SeaPerch. Since 2009, over 230 teachers have been trained, and will be taking SeaPerch to their classrooms in upcoming semesters. Within the 2009 calendar year, close to 900 SeaPerch kits have been built and shipped to schools and educators across the country. Currently, 112 schools in seven states are participating across the United States in AlaskaAlaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Washington, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.