About

About FIRST^®

Vision

“To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders.”

Dean Kamen, Founder

Mission

Our mission is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

Dean Kamen is an inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology. His passion and determination to help young people discover the excitement and rewards of science and technology are the cornerstones of FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

FIRST^® was founded in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, NH, the 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.

FIRST^® in Utah – History

The inaugural FIRST^® Robotics Competition in Utah was held on March 18th – 20th, 2010 in the Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City.

The inaugural FIRST^® LEGO^® League State Championship was held on January 29th, 2011 in the Student Union Building on the University of Utah campus.

The first FRC^® event was attended by roughly 1,000 local high school students as 33 teams of about 30 students each competed in a robotics game similar to soccer. The students built and programmed robots capable of collecting balls and delivering them to goals. Students then competed in a tournament-style bracket to determine the best-built robot.

In addition to a trip to the National FIRST^® Robotics Competition in Atlanta, GA, for the top six placing teams, students were also awarded scholarships and prizes in the categories of: design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship and partnership-building.

The first annual competition was made possible by FIRST^®, the national organization that encourages young students to pursue careers in engineering and technology. The competition was organized as part of a National Science Foundation Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) grant awarded to the University of Utah’s School of Computing and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The competition was also sponsored by NASA, Platt Electric in Salt Lake City, and the Micron Foundation.

FIRST^® History

FIRST^® was founded in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, NH, the 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.

Review milestones and competitions in FIRST^® history online: FIRST^® History.