The 2023 FIRST Global Challenge, themed ‘Hydrogen Horizons,’ an annual competition dubbed the “Olympics” of the robotics world, came to a conclusion in Singapore, with students and experts from the Caribbean standing out among 191 nations showcasing their talent, innovation, and commitment to sustainable energy solutions.

The event ran from October 7 – 10 and witnessed an impressive display of teamwork, creativity, and technological prowess. The competition focused on exploring the potential of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source, challenging participants to design and build robots capable of producing, storing, transporting, and converting hydrogen.

At a ceremony held on October 10, the Caribbean captured awards in eight of the 19 categories by the representatives from Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic (DR), Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,

Speaking with Our Today, Kodie Jean-Jacques, mentor for the robotics team from Dominica and award winner for outstanding mentor, spoke about his experiences and what it means for the Caribbean. He said, “Generally in the Caribbean, especially since we’re so small, we keep close tabs on each other and are always willing to help our neighbours. These achievements mean a lot because it’s great to see that among 191 countries, so many of us could come out on top in different events. I hope it serves as motivation to other Caribbean mentors and volunteers and a clear sign that the talent is here and more of us to step up to the plate and get the ball really rolling for robotics in the Caribbean.”

The teams from the Caribbean, including Jamaica, demonstrated their commitment to STEM education and their ability to compete on the global stage. The awards they received represent not only their achievements but also the bright future of STEM in the Caribbean.

The awards were:

In the Katherine Johnson Award for Engineering Documentation, Jamaica achieved the Gold medal and Suriname achieved the silver.

For the Outstanding Mentor Award, Dominican Kodie Jean-Jacques and Dominican (DR) Isaac Vazquez Montilla both secured wins.

For the Temasek Women in STEM Award, Nehal Wadhwani from Saint Lucia was one of the awardees.

For the Zhang Heng Award for Engineering Design, Belize secured the silver medal.

For the Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli Award for Courageous Achievement, Grenada secured the gold medal.

For the Dr Mae Jemison Award for International Unity, Trinidad and Tobago secured the bronze medal.