- September 2025
Sustainable Energy & Robotics Workshop in San Diego, California
September took us to San Diego, California, where our team collaborated with San Diego Unified School District to deliver a Sustainable Energy & Robotics Workshop for middle and high school students. The initiative aligned with California’s emphasis on renewable energy education, while integrating robotics to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences.
The goal was to inspire students to think critically about clean energy solutions while equipping them with technical skills to design energy-efficient systems using robotics kits. We focused heavily on problem-based learning, challenging participants to design robots that could simulate small-scale renewable energy tasks — like solar panel positioning or wind turbine monitoring.
Key Workshop Components:
-
Renewable Energy Crash Course: Students learned the basics of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.
-
Robotics for Sustainability: Using LEGO Spike Prime and Arduino-based kits, teams built robots that optimized renewable energy collection.
-
Energy Efficiency Simulation: Students programmed robots to respond to real-time environmental data, such as sunlight direction or wind speed.
-
Community Showcase: Families and school staff were invited to see student projects in action during an open exhibition.
Workshop Outcomes:
-
🔋 30 robots built to model renewable energy solutions.
-
🌍 Students from 6 different schools participated, ensuring a diverse group of learners.
-
📈 92% of participants reported increased interest in engineering or environmental science.
-
🏆 Top project: a solar-tracking robot that rotated its solar panel based on light sensor input, increasing simulated efficiency by 35%.
Long-Term Plans:
The San Diego workshop was just the first step. In partnership with school district officials, we will be rolling out a semester-long after-school program in early 2026 to deepen students’ understanding of renewable energy engineering.