FAIRBANKS -- The basement laboratory looked like a playroom for robots and teens.
Aluminum construction parts, nuts, bolts, motors, wheels and drills covered tabletops. Tight knots of high schoolers gathered around half-made robots, looking for the best place to attach a motor or wheel.
"We've taken off more parts than we put on," said Nathan Sanches, 14, a freshman at Lathrop High School.
The lab is part of a University of Alaska Fairbanks science outreach program funded by the NASA Near Earth Network. The program is in its fifth year, said Jeremy Nicoll, principal investigator on the project. It's meant to introduce and supplement science, technology, engineering and math education for Fairbanks junior high and high school students.
Robotics is a great way to teach younger students science, Nicoll said. If someone is considering a science career, it's best to take as many science and math courses as possible before college. For students who go to smaller schools, such as the Effie Kokrine Early College Charter School, the science outreach program offers the opportunity for such classes.
"For some students, their first exposure to real science is in college," Nicoll said. "We need to spark interest before that."
One of NASA's goals is to inspire the next generation of scientists, technologists, engineers and astronauts. NASA has funded projects with UAF through the Alaska Satellite Facility at the UAF Geophysical Institute. Several years ago, NASA asked the ASF to apply for a grant to conduct the robotics program, Nicoll said.
It's a five-pronged project: Hold a NASA careers panel at UAF, have an ASF internship for UAF students, hold a high school science class, have a science and robotics club and partner with other existing UAF outreach projects.
The robotics lab in the West Ridge Research Building on the UAF campus is new and is available to all Fairbanks seventh through 12th graders. One wall is lined with bins loaded with tools and robot parts. At one end of the room is a robot arena where students test their creations. Desks for two lab monitors are at the other end. Long tables and chairs are in between.
The robotics lab isn't just for creative students learning science. It's to prepare them to compete with their robots. Every year a nonprofit company called FIRST Tech Challenge holds a competition for such students.
This year the challenge is called Cascade Challenge. The team must build a robot that can fit inside an 18-inch cube but it may expand after the competition starts. The goal is to release 160 plastic balls in two sizes from a container in the arena, then gather and toss them into three movable cylinders varying in height. The robot must perform other tasks as well.
On a recent Friday, three girls from Effie Kokrine hunched over graph paper, penciling out designs for their robot. One of the things they have to consider is how to get the different-sized balls into the cylinders.
It's a challenge worth rising to, the girls said.
"I like being able to think logically," said Briana Kremer, 14, a freshman at the Effie Kokrine school.
At another table, boys were testing expanding robot arms.
"OK, I'm not going to do that," said Jasper Holton, 15, a sophomore from West Valley High School. This is his second year with the competition.
Wendy Camber, Holton's mother, said her son's problem-solving skills have expanded since he's been involved with the club. Another plus is that Holton has access to a high-tech lab, not only for robotics but other facilities at UAF Geophysical Institute.
"It gives him an introduction to the GI and scientific research at UAF," she said. "A lot of UAF people participate and make themselves available."
The competition requires attention to detail, noted Rebecca Sanches, the mother of Nathan Sanches.
Last year Nathan explained how he attached and removed an expandable arm six times because it was slightly off kilter.
'There's a word for that, you know,'" she told him.
"OCD?" he said.
"No, engineer," she replied.
Diana Campbell works at the UAF Geophysical Institute public relations office. She may be reached at 907-474-5229 or dlcampbell@alaska.edu. For more information about UAF's Robotics Lab, contact Jeremy Nicoll at jbnicoll@alaska.edu or 474-1546.