Supporting Engineering and Science Education Worldwide
NI anchors its community outreach program on enhancing engineering and science education through classroom mentorship, robotics competitions, and collaborations with nonprofits to inspire students to achieve greater technological proficiency. The company’s mentorship and outreach efforts give students access to hands-on projects that cultivate an interest in turning their studies into engineering and science careers.
Because so many NI employees are engineers themselves and have a deep knowledge and love for technology, they are passionate about introducing students to engineering and science concepts and helping to grow their skills in this area. NI employees serve as robotics and engineering mentors to hundreds of students around the world. NI specifically seeks to address the knowledge gap that widens when students in underserved communities don’t have access to the same technology as their peers.
Year in Review
2011 Highlights
Deployed LEGO robotics training for educators and students in underserved communities in India, Costa Rica, and Mexico
Retained 62.5% of robotics mentors at corporate headquarters
2011 Challenges
Due to cultural differences and perceptions of volunteering, standardizing a global robotics mentorship program continues to be difficult
Logistical barriers and time constraints prevent NI employees from serving in economically challenged communities at the level the company strives for
2012 Commitments
Expand NI corporate robotics mentorship program to five schools or organizations that serve economically challenged students
Increase the number of NI offices with robotics mentorship programs from 11 to 15
2011 Data and Results
LEGO, the LEGO logo, and MINDSTORMS are trademarks of the LEGO Group. ©2012 the LEGO Group.
Robotics at Davis Elementary School
Chenchen Zhou
Software Engineer,
NI China
Chenchen, an NI China software engineer, volunteers at Livingston American School in Shanghai, where he provides technical support to students in the robotics club. In addition to training the students on how to use LabVIEW for their robotics applications, he helps them identify their interest areas and how they can use their passions to better the team. “It was an amazing experience to assist a team of young kids,” Chenchen says. “They had inspirational ideas, the desire to gain knowledge, and celebrated any small progress on the project. I felt proud when they finally found their way and worked together as a team to accomplish the goals.