FIRST Global Challenge Unites 180+ Nations to Inspire Next Generation of Innovators and Leaders, Including Gold-Medal-Winning Team Ukraine

High School Students From Around The World Join in Geneva, Switzerland for Olympic-Style International Robotics Event

GENEVA – FIRST® Global, a not-for-profit organization established to promote science and technology leadership and innovation in young people from all nations through the sport of robotics, brought together students from more than 180 nations October 13-16 at PalExpo in Geneva for the FIRST Global Challenge, a high-profile, international robotics competition convening high-school-aged participants who work together to solve global challenges.

The focus of the 2022 FIRST Global Challenge was “Carbon Capture,” in which shifting alliances of three nations competed to capture and store carbon, demonstrating the collective effort required to protect our shared atmosphere and slow the effects of climate change. The event highlighted the importance of addressing global climate change, excited students to learn and discover STEM through robotics, and inspired students and adults alike on the importance of collaborating across places of origin, creeds, religions, and cultures to build a better tomorrow.

This competition inspires not only those who participate, but also many more from the teams’ home countries. The FIRST Global Challenge is based on the principles of FIRST, a K-12 STEM education nonprofit founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989.

“I’ve learned through FIRST that if we teach the world’s young people the common language of STEM, they’ll learn how to work together across cultural and religious differences,” said Dean Kamen, president of DEKA Research & Development and founder of FIRST and FIRST Global. “Through the excitement of an Olympic-style sporting event, the FIRST Global Challenge is uniting students around the world to solve the greatest problems we face as a global community.”

This year’s games concluded with exciting final championship matches and an award ceremony, during which teams were awarded medals in several categories – both qualitative and quantitative in nature – highlighting the qualities that FIRST Global aims to inspire in the STEM leaders of tomorrow. The winners (listed below) for the awards were determined by a group of internationally selected judges.

1. FIRST Global Winning Alliance Award
Awarded to the four teams in the winning alliance in the final match.
a. Winning Alliance: Lithuania, Belize, Switzerland, Botswana

2. FIRST Global Finalist Alliances Award
Awarded to the four-team alliance who placed second in the final match and the winning alliance in the third-place match.
b. Runner-up: Mexico, Republic of Korea, Tonga, Tanzania
c. Second Runner Up: Senegal, Hungary, North Macedonia, Puerto Rico

3. FIRST Global Grand Challenge Award
Awarded to teams that earn the most ranking points (based on win-lose-tie record).
a. Gold: Kazakhstan
b. Silver: Mexico
c. Bronze: Peru

4. Albert Einstein Award for FIRST Global International Excellence
Awarded to the teams whose robots performed the best during the FIRST Global Challenge and exemplified all the tenets of the FIRST Global community.
a. Gold: Mexico
b. Silver: Jamaica
c. Bronze: Germany

5. Zhang Heng Award for Engineering Design
Awarded to teams whose robot exhibits excellent engineering and displays elegance and effectiveness during the Challenge
a. Gold: Sri Lanka
b. Silver: Iran
c. Bronze: Netherlands

6. Ustad Ahmad Lahori Award for Innovation in Engineering
Awarded to teams that demonstrate creativity and innovation in building their robot to complete an aspect of the Challenge
a. Gold: Moldova
b. Silver: Hong Kong, China
c. Bronze: Vietnam

7. Dr. Mae Jemison Award for International Unity
Awarded to teams that emulate the best qualities of FIRST Global by breaking down barriers, demonstrating Gracious Professionalism, and building bridges with fellow teams
a. Gold: Jordan
b. Silver: Australia
c. Bronze: Nigeria

8. Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli Award for Courageous Achievement
Awarded to teams that exhibit a “can-do” attitude throughout the Challenge, even under difficult circumstances, or when things do not go as planned
a. Gold: Ukraine
b. Silver: Liberia
c. Bronze: Hope (Refugees)

9. Francisco José de Caldas Award for Sustainable Excellence
Awarded to an individual who helped contribute to strong and sustainable FIRST Global programs
a. Team Spyder
b. Jackie & Mike Bezos
c. will.i.am

10. Al-Khwarizmi Award for Outstanding Supporter
Awarded to institutions, sponsors, or governments that assisted a FIRST Global team.
a. Gold: Kazakhstan – USTEM Robotics
b. Silver: Kosovo – The University for Business & Technology
c. Bronze: Jamaica – Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (USA) Inc.

11. Sofia Kovalevskaya Award for International Journey
Awarded to teams that documented and shared their FIRST Global experience with the rest of the FIRST Global community.
a. Gold: India
b. Silver: Palestine
c. Bronze: Chile

12. Clara Barton Award for Helping Hands
Awarded to teams who help other teams in a time of need.
a. Gold: Algeria
b. Silver: Palestine
c. Bronze: Slovenia

13. Katherine Johnson Award for Engineering Documentation
Awarded to teams that demonstrate the journey they took in building their robot
a. Gold: Greece
b. Silver: Indonesia
c. Bronze: Canada

14.XPRIZE Innovator Award
Awarded to teams who developed their own innovative solutions to combat climate change as part of the 2022 New Technology Experience: Carbon Countermeasures.
a. Gold: Zimbabwe
b. Silver: Indonesia
c. Bronze: Greece

15. Skills Challenge
1. People’s Republic of China
2. Uzbekistan
3. Moldova

16. International Enthusiasm Award
Awarded to teams who support each other and other teams throughout the Challenge.
a. Gold: Tunisia
b. Silver: Kenya
c. Bronze: Georgia

17. Mansa Musa Award for Fundraising
Awarded to teams who demonstrated to FIRST Global that they made a good-faith effort to fundraise.
a. Botswana

18. Judges Award – Technical
During the course of the competition, the judging panel may decide a team’s unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition.
Gold: Kazakhstan
Silver: Slovakia
Bronze. Zambia

19. Judges Award – Non-technical
During the course of the competition, the judging panel may decide a team’s unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit recognition.
1. Eswatini
2. Turkmenistan
3. Algeria

20. Outstanding Mentor
Awarded to mentors who went above and beyond the call of duty for their team.
1. Bangladesh
2. Chile
3. Germany
4. Guatemala
5. Tunisia
6. Bosnia and Herzegovina
7. Malaysia
8. Palestine

In keeping with FIRST Global’s mission to inspire science and technology leadership and innovation internationally, the FIRST Global Challenge will take place in a different nation each year. The organization wants to empower all young people through science and technology and is working earnestly to recruit teams from countries that could not accompany us this year.

 



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