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Are you ready to build a robot that changes lives?
IEEE Region 8 invites all Sections to participate in RoboSTEMpathy. This new program empowers school-aged and university students to utilize robotics and STEM to address real-world humanitarian challenges, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
RoboSTEMpathy goes beyond a robotics challenge. It’s a movement to blend technical skills with empathy to create lasting social impact.
Phase 1: Local RoboSTEMpathy Events
Run until the end of October 2025
Organized by IEEE Sections (with the leading support of Sections’ Education Officers)
All IEEE Region 8 Sections are encouraged to create mixed teams of school-aged and university students to participate in this new program. The recommended team size is 4–6 members.
What Teams Will Do?
Organize STEM events in their local communities for school-aged students, and develop a concept for a robotic solution addressing a local humanitarian challenge. Their project should be aligned with one or more UN SDGs. All events should be submitted to VTools under the Pre-U STEM Program category.
Deliverables
Each participating team will submit:
- Concept of the robotic solution
- Report of STEM preparation activities
- Project description highlighting:
- The technical solution
- The human impact
- The educational outcomes for the school-aged students
Awards & Recognition
$300 Prizes in Three Categories:
- Best Section (based on vTools event reporting count)
- Best Education Officer (based on the number of active teams)
- Best Team (based on project quality and innovation)
The winning teams from each section will use their prize to develop their idea prototype and participate in an in-person event to present it. More details about the event and venue will be shared at a later stage of this call.
2025 Awards Announcement
We are pleased to share the results of the IEEE Region 8 RoboSTEMpathy Program 2025 awards:
- Best Section: IEEE Tunisia Section
- Best Educational Activities Officer: Heba Shaban, IEEE Egypt Section
- Best Team: IEEE Durban University of Technology Student Branch, IEEE South Africa Section
These recognitions highlight the exceptional dedication and contributions demonstrated throughout the RoboSTEMpathy Program.
Prizes will be distributed directly to the respective IEEE Sections. In addition, certificates of appreciation will be presented to each Section’s delegate during the 126th IEEE Region 8 Committee Meeting in Helsinki, Finland.