Students’ underwater robot returns to aquarium after competing abroad
NEWPORT, Ore. – At first glance, a
cube of PVC pipe trailed by a string of
wires and cables is a puzzling presence
for some Oregon Coast Aquarium visitors
in the new exhibit, Secrets of Shipwrecks:
Part History. Part Mystery.
In the exhibit, it represents one of
the tools researchers use for underwater
exploration and archaeology, and pays
homage to the fact that people from all
walks of life can wield this technology.
The contraption sports scratches and
wear, and zip-ties hold repurposed plastic
water bottles to its control tether. The
underwater remotely operated vehicle, or
ROV for short, is the creation of three Taft
High 7-12 students under the guidance of
Science Department Chair Noah Lambie.
Team RUWE (Robotic Underwater
Exploration) created the ROV for the
Northwest Regional MATE (Marine
Advanced Technology Education) Compe-
tition. Each student assumed a role, with
Kyle Macrae (a Siletz Tribal member) as
CFO, Hunter Bishop as CEO and Eneki
Trujillo as head engineer.
RUWE took the title in the Ranger
Class, qualifying it for the international
competition in Newfoundland, Canada.
The opportunity to compete against
60 other teams from universities and pres-
tigious prep schools across the globe pre-
sented a tremendous opportunity and set
of challenges. The team’s winnings only
covered a portion of the trip, so Lambie
and the students started a crowd-funding
campaign and sold totes and shirts to
make up the difference.
The trio’s previous triumph was in a
freshwater pool – no deeper than 12 feet,
Courtesy photo from the Oregon Coast Aquarium
Team RUWE, including Kyle Macrae (right) and their coach with their interpretive
sign board
but the international competition would
plunge the students’ robot into Arctic
Ocean conditions.
Team RUWE knew it needed to adjust
the robot’s buoyancy control for deep
saline water and was unsure how its ROV
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would react to the cold. Lambie reached
out to the aquarium for help.
The first test drive in the Passages
of the Deep exhibit deflated the bicycle
tube, sending buoyancy control plans back
to the drawing board. Round two proved
more successful and as June drew to a
close, the team headed to Canada.
It found fierce competition – many
of the rival ROVs cost more than 10
times the Taft High students’ budget and
were handled by college students. Team
RUWE’s innovation and dedication earned
it 20 th place out of 63 competitors and the
Bang for the Buck award.
“This was a huge opportunity for my
students,” said Lambie. “They are very
capable, natural and intuitive with robot-
ics. Just give them a few projects, a little
bit of guidance and let them go.”
The aquarium offered to exhibit the
ROV to honor Team RUWE and in hopes
of inspiring more applied-STEM projects
in classrooms and beyond. The ROV will
be on display through December 2016.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is dedi-
cated to the highest quality aquatic and
marine science programs for recreation and
education so that the public better under-
stands, cherishes and conserves the world’s
natural marine and coastal resources.
An accredited Association of Zoos &
Aquariums institution, this 501(c)3 non-
profit organization is ranked as one of the
top 10 aquariums in the U.S.
Visit us at 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Road
in Newport or at aquarium.org, 541-
867-3474. Follow us on Facebook.com/
OregonCoastAquarium or Twitter.com/
OrCoastAquarium for the latest updates.
Taft Native Students Association
Presents
Winter Solstice
Literacy Night
Celebration
Book Reading
5:30 pm-6:15 pm
Food Demonstrations and
Traditional Teachings
6:20 pm-7:15 pm
Courtesy photos
SuSun Fisher, recently crowned as Miss Chemawa 2015-2016 at Chemawa
Indian School in Salem, Ore., was asked to participate in a panel discussion
with American Indian youth at the Center for Native American Youth in
Washington, D.C. in November. The panel sought to raise broader awareness
of Native youth issues and priorities. It was co-moderated by Native journalist
Patty Talahonga (left) and (ret.) U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan (third from left). Kevin
Washburn (far right), assistant secretary of Indian affairs at the U.S. Department
of the Interior, gave the closing remarks.
Siletz Community Dental Clinic
Contact the Siletz Community
Dental Clinic if you experience dental
pain or a dental emergency. Staff will
do everything they can to see you as
soon as possible.
Morning check-in time is Monday-
Thursday from 8:30-9 a.m. and Friday
from 10-10:30 a.m. Afternoon check-
in time is Monday-Friday from 1-1:30
p.m.
Celebration Dinner, Dancing,
and Drumming
7:20 pm-8:30 pm
T im e: 5: 30 -8 :3 0p
m
Taft High 7-12
3780 Spyglass Ridge Road
Lincoln City, OR
December 8, 2015
at Taft High 7-12
This is a free event
For more information, contact Juanita Whitebear at:
Phone: 541-996-2115
Email: juanita.whitebear@lincoln.k12.or.us
Sponsored by Walter R. Behrens Foundation, Taft 7-12 staff. Chinook Winds Casino Resort. Taft N.S.A.,
and all the time and donations from the Lincoln City community
December 2015
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