The St. Francis Geneseas Robotics Team won first place at the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) World Championship held in Denver, Colorado earlier this month. Our girls outperformed high school groups from across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East to claim the top prize, breaking barriers for women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) along the way.

Their achievement comes at a time when deep sea exploration is at the forefront of public interest, following the recent loss of the Titan submersible. Their win highlights the importance of fostering the next generation of women scientists and engineers to continue advancing ocean technologies.

“These young women are trailblazers,” said St. Francis President and CEO Dr. Fadia Desmond. “Winning at this level requires extraordinary talent, perseverance in the face of obstacles, and the ability to work together as a team. This team embodies all of those attributes and more. They are an inspiration not just to other students, but to all of us.”

The MATE ROV competition challenges students to design and build underwater robots to complete tasks that simulate real-world problems. 

View or download our official press release SFHS Robotics World Champions Press Release