Southfield, Mich. – The Robofest competition based at Lawrence Technological University will add a sixth country in 2008 and also expand in the Detroit area, thanks to a grant from Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) Charitable Foundation Fund, which is a fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

Robofest is an annual autonomous robotics competition for students in grades 5-12 that started at Lawrence Tech in 2000. It encourages students to have fun while learning computer programming and engineering, math and science technology. Students are required to do all of the design, construction and programming of the robots, and adult coaches are not allowed to assist during the competition. 

Robofest is growing fast. Last season, more than 1,400 students on 576 teams participated – including teams from Canada, Mexico, South Korea and Singapore. Students from England will be competing for the first time in 2008.

The DADA grant will support robotics workshops and materials for new sites in Detroit and Highland Park.  Robofest is currently seeking new qualifying competition sites in Detroit and Highland Park for March and April 2008.  Top teams from each site will qualify for the World Robofest Championships, which will be held at Lawrence Tech on Saturday, April 26, 2008. 

Interested individuals, organizations or schools should contact Associate Professor CJ Chung at chung@ltu.edu. For more information, visit www.robofest.net.

Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, offers more than 60 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Management. Founded in 1932, the 5,000-student, private university pioneered evening classes 75 years ago, and today has a growing number of weekend and online programs. Lawrence Tech’s 102-acre campus is in Southfield, with education centers in Livonia, Clinton Township, Traverse City, and Petoskey. Lawrence Tech also offers programs with partner universities in Canada, Mexico, Europe and Asia.

The Detroit Auto Dealers Association Charitable Foundation Fund is supported by proceeds from the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) Charity Preview. Since 1999, the Fund has joined 11 children’s charities that benefit from the show as an additional way for DADA members to support programs and activities for children and young people. Since the fund was established with the Community Foundation, $2,548,292 has been provided through 86 grants.