Providing Technology and Funding

NI is a strategic partner to and heavily invested in FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a nonprofit organization devoted to helping young people discover and develop a passion for science, technology, engineering, and math through afterschool robotics competitions. Because NI believes the program has a tremendous impact on the lives of students who participate, the company has made a multimillion-dollar, multiyear commitment to provide technology and support across all levels of the program, from FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) to the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).

NI involvement in FLL includes the following:

Global financial sponsorship of $100,000 USD annually

Employees serving as team mentors and event volunteers

NI involvement in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) includes the following:

NI LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS® software donated to all teams

Regional financial team and event sponsorship

Employees serving as team mentors and event volunteers

NI involvement in FRC includes the following:

LabVIEW software and NI CompactRIO controllers provided to all teams at a discount

Regional financial team and event sponsorship

Employees serving as team mentors and event volunteers and providing technical support for teams during the season

NI supports other competitions aimed at inspiring innovation, creativity, and problem solving skills in students through robotics. In 2011, NI sponsored three prizes for the World Robot Olympiad (WRO), a yearly competition that impacts more than 32,000 primary and secondary students through national competitions that lead up to a world championship. This year’s final competition, held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, hosted more than 1,500 teams, along with parents, mentors, and education officials from countries including China, Costa Rica, India, Japan, Malaysia, and Russia.

As part of a multiyear commitment to improve education in Texas, NI pledged financial and in-kind support in 2006 to jump-start the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) initiative of the Educate Texas project, a public-private alliance dedicated to improving postsecondary performance at low-income, low-performing schools across the state. Since its inception, Educate Texas has launched 44 early college high schools, 51 T-STEM academies, and seven T-STEM centers supporting more than 2,700 teachers across Texas. In 2011, Educate Texas served more than 84,000 students. There was a radical improvement in the standardized test scores for these students over peer schools. NI continues to support Educate Texas with funding and product donations as the organization works to scale the success of the T-STEM program into a statewide STEM education initiative.

The Austin Pre-freshman Engineering Program (AusPrEP) and Saturday STEM Academy at Huston-Tillotson University helps prepare high-achieving middle and high school students for college engineering and science studies. The AusPrEP program has provided more than 900 minority and underserved students with an eight-week summer camp focused on enhancing math, computer science, logic, and problem-solving skills. The Saturday STEM Academy is a year-round program that enrolls students in forensic science and math instruction as well as provides opportunities to engage in engineering activities through robotics and rocketry. Through financial contributions and in-kind robotics donations, NI helps these programs meet their goal of preparing more minority students to pursue engineering, science, and technology studies in higher-education institutions.

Breakthrough Austin provides a path to college for low-income students who will be first-generation college graduates. The organization’s leaders believe that by offering innovative educational programs to children and their families, they can permanently break the poverty cycle in their lives. NI helps Breakthrough Austin through financial donations used to support math and science curriculum development for the organization’s annual summer camps. In addition to financial support, NI employees lead a one-day robotics competition that introduces the students to programming basics.

Girlstart’s mission is to increase girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through nationally recognized informal education programs. While research consistently shows that low-income and minority girls are least likely to pursue engineering and science careers, engaging them with unique programs like the organization’s Girls in STEM Conference, summer camps, and afterschool workshops increases their interest and reduces the gender stereotypes and biases associated with STEM pursuits. For the past several years, NI has supported Girlstart through financial donations towards its annual Girls in STEM conference. Arleene Porterfield, vice president of Global Information Technology at NI, shares her expertise by serving on the Girlstart Board of Directors.

The Austin Children’s Museum (ACM) creates innovative learning experiences for children that equip and inspire them to be the next generation of creative problem solvers. The ACM program, TechReach, provides students from low-income families with opportunities to gain hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math skills. Working with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kits, participants learn the basics of designing, building, and programming robots. The TechReach program addresses a three-fold problem for economically disadvantaged children in Austin: shortage of access to technology, the need to build 21st century skills, and the lack of interest and awareness in a science-related future.

By providing financial contributions and engineering mentors to the TechReach program, NI supports the museum’s efforts to fill this critical gap.

John Graff, vice president of Americas Sales and Marketing at NI, shares his leadership skills with ACM by serving on its board of directors.