Students following courses at the Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST) participated in the IEEE Region 8 Robot Championship.

The IEEE Region 8 Robot Championship Malta 2024 was organised by IEEE Malta Section, IEEE Region 8, IEEE Malta Computer Society, and the Professional and Educational Subcommittee on the 23rd and 24th of November 2024 at Montekristo Estate Arena Malta. This championship was open to all IEEE student branches in Region 8 to participate.

The aimed event is to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among IEEE members, with focus on STEM communication, entrepreneurship, creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Four games were planned, Time of fall, Weight in line, Climate CHAOS and Hanging Hazard.

The team ‘The Punisher’ was composed of three MCAST students following the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Electronics and Control Engineering at the Institute of Engineering and Transport (IET) namely, Ben Farrugia, Chris Saliba and Luke Camilleri. The students were mentored by Mr Isaac Massa, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Engineering and Transport (IET).

The MCAST team won two recognition awards, namely, The Most Effective Add-on and Best Looking Robot and Branding.

The IEEE R8 Robot Championship equips students with a blend of technical and soft skills, fosters an entrepreneurial spirit, and provides networking opportunities, all of which are instrumental in shaping their future career paths.

Through supporting and enabling such initiatives like the R8 Robot Championship, MCAST can significantly boost its image by showcasing innovation, strengthening industry ties, highlighting student success, enhancing alumni relations, promoting entrepreneurship, and increasing overall visibility.