Seventy-five grade 10 and 11 girl learners will get to interact with DUT’s robot, Neo. The girls come from previously disadvantaged schools. They will get an opportunity to learn about robotics so they can look at it as an option to study it once they matriculate. Picture: SUPPLIED
Empowering girls in robotics, the Department of Information Technology at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), in partnership with Lenovo and Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), will host RoboGirl 2023. This initiative will enable 75 young girls to be trained in coding, robotics and the concepts of Internet of Things (IoT).
The programme will be held from Monday, December 4 to Saturday December 9. The event will commence with the RoboGirl Opening Ceremony on Monday at the DUT Ritson campus in Durban.
Mr Ebrahim Asmal, a senior lecturer of information technology at DUT, said the RoboGirl 2023 programme will consist of 75 girls who are in Grade 10 and 11. The girls come from 15 selected schools in the eThekwini area, mostly located in historically disadvantaged communities.
“The girls will undergo three days of intensive training which will culminate in a competition between schools. The girls will be given two days to design and develop an IoT solution. The teams’ projects will be judged on Saturday December 9, by a panel of judges. This will allow the various teams to witness their peers’ innovation and different approaches to the challenges,” said Mr Asmal.
He added that DUT had embarked on this exciting partnership with Lenovo South Africa and TSAM, to prepare young girls for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and beyond. He believes the RoboGirl 2023 programme will advance their efforts of inculcating an interest in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and subsequently, bridging the gender gap.
Lenovo’s vision of providing ‘Smarter Technology for All’ is focused on empowering under-represented communities with access to technology and STEM education, said Mr Asmal. Besides learning coding and robotics skills, learners will also develop critical thinking and problem-solving through theoretical and practical examples. They will also develop an attitude that encompasses teamwork, collaboration and sharing responsibility.
The RoboGirl 2023 will culminate with the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the Elangeni Hotel on Saturday December 9.....