Bovey Zhang and Lucas De La Pena discuss UMSL’s esports program on latest episode of Inside UMSL | ##umslesports # #insideumsl # #esportspodcast # #umsl # #esportsdirector
Two Winter Garden teens head to world VEX robotics competition | ##vexrobotics # #teamapex # #roboticschampionship # #excellenceaward
Việt Nam’s GreenAms Robotics Triumphs, Advances To Global VEX Robotics Finals
HÀ NỘI — GreenAms Robotics Team 36070N from Hanoi-Amsterdam High School for the Gifted (HAH) has earned a place at the 2025 VEX Robotics World Championship in the US, after its victory at the Vietnam VEX National Robotics Championship 2025 in the VEX V5 category.
The national competition saw more than 300 students from 31 teams across Việt Nam battle to win the VEX V5 title. These teams had previously excelled in regional qualifiers to secure their spots in the final.
The tournament featured multiple events: autonomous robot skills, student-driven robot operation, alliance robot matches, technical notebook evaluation and interviews.
GreenAms Robotics Team 36070N showcased tactical brilliance and determination, clinching the Alliance Championship title and ranking among the top performers in all other categories to secure the Excellence Award—the two highest honours in the VEX V5 category.
The 13-member team will now represent Việt Nam at the VEX Robotics World Championship in May 2025 in the US.
HAH Principal Trần Thùy Dương said this was the school’s second time participating in the contest. Building on last year’s experience, the team was formed four months before the official competition date.
Supported by the school administration, the students worked tirelessly to design and assemble their robots, refine technical documentation and hone their skills and strategies.
Phạm Vũ Bích Hằng, the team’s coach, described the opportunity as more than just a chance to compete at the highest level. “It’s a platform for students to gain valuable experience, build confidence and thrive in an international setting,” she said.
Previously, GreenAms Robotics had already qualified for a spot at the world championship by being among the best performers in the VEX IQ category.
The Vietnam VEX National Robotics Championship 2025 was organised by the STEM Education Promotion Alliance, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, the Center for Science and Technology Development and Vovinam Digital JSC. — VNS
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Featured News And Headlines | KU News
LAWRENCE — Public high school students in Kansas and two other states will receive training in the cutting-edge field of artificial intelligence, learning to create both code that underpins AI and the microelectronics to run it — as part of the United States’ push to keep the lead in microchip manufacturing and AI software development.
Researchers at the University of Kansas, along with the University of Florida and the University of North Texas, will partner with regional high schools to engage about 500 students and 25 teachers in real-world projects to build interest in the technology as a career path. The work is enabled by a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation. Of that, about $350,000 will come to KU.
The research at KU is headed by Tamzidul Hoque, assistant professor of electrical engineering & computer science. His team in Lawrence will partner with Shawnee Mission West High School in Overland Park, where computer science teacher Mark Lange will implement the curriculum.
A vital part of the training will allow students to run their code on Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) devices — basic low-power machines that enable AI processing directly on hardware.
“This will be a small device performing AI tasks at the user end without connecting to the cloud,” Hoque said. “TinyML is one application that allows a large AI model to be converted into a smaller one that can run on a small device.”
These so-called “edge devices” process data with their own microelectronics rather than relying on a centralized cloud or data center.
KU faculty member Tamzidul Hoque along with his graduate research assistant Tanvir Hossain from the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science will work on developing the educational modules on edge AI. Credit: Mahmudul Hasan
“We want to demonstrate to students the wide range of edge AI applications available,” Hoque said. “By working with edge AI, they’ll not only learn about AI but also gain knowledge of microelectronics because it involves low-level hardware. Our curriculum addresses both of these important areas — microelectronics and AI.”
Hoque’s team at KU is developing the edge devices to be used by students in classes nationwide, work informed by his earlier NSF-funded research into training students in computing-hardware fundamentals though gamified learning.
The design of the edge devices will consider strapped budgets faced by many high schools, particularly in low-income communities, according to Hoque.
“We’re developing a hardware platform that includes microprocessors, various sensors and communication components,” he said. “We’ll collaborate with the University of Florida to develop the platform, with a key challenge being cost-effectiveness. While many existing platforms can be used for programming AI, they are not affordable. Our goal is to create a device costing less than $45, equipped with at least 10 different sensors, making it accessible even for high schools with limited resources.”
Part of the project involves measuring and honing effectiveness of the instruction. Hoque and his colleagues will focus the training on altruistic, community-centered projects so students understand how engineering helps people.
“When we try to motivate students about engineering, we often highlight high-paying salaries or the lucrative aspects of the jobs — but engineering is not only about those things, and many students may not feel motivated solely by them,” the KU researcher said. “Integrating the concept of altruism — how engineering can help their community — can be a stronger motivator. For example, developing an AI application for fire detection or supporting farmers through novel technologies gives students a sense of altruism and community support, inspiring them to pursue careers in those directions.”
Nonetheless, according to Hoque, the curriculum should provide access to high-paying jobs in AI and microelectronics for individual students. By developing this workforce, Kansas and other states in the project could succeed in drawing more high-tech companies as students qualify to specialize in the sector. To ensure this, the researchers have teamed with AI-industry partners to match workforce needs of those employers with the training.
“Our goal is to ensure the curriculum we develop is well aligned with the industry,” Hoque said. “We have an advisory board made up of industry members who provide feedback on whether the topics we have chosen are suitable for the field and whether learning these technical skills will help students secure jobs in the long run.”
Along these lines, the researchers will hold conferences where high school teachers in the project and industry partners will trade ideas on curriculum and teaching methods to ensure the training is industry focused.
The work at KU is enabled by the CHIPS and Science Act, passed by Congress in 2022, a law designed to support domestic production of semiconductors and strengthen national security.
“After COVID, we realized how dependent we are on external supply chains, prompting the government to provide significant incentives for developing domestic manufacturing facilities,” Hoque said. “This issue impacts not only consumers but also national security, as microelectronics used in mission-critical systems must be developed in secure facilities with no possibility of malicious alterations or security threats. For national security reasons, it’s essential to have domestic capabilities to design and fabricate our own microchips. But it’s not enough to develop these facilities — we also need people to work in them. Programs like this will motivate students to explore hardware and pursue careers in microelectronics.”
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Department Of Computer Science Unveils First Of Its Kind Artificial Intelligence Degree
Boise State’s College of Engineering is making history with its new artificial intelligence science degree program, the first of its kind offered in Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.
In development for years and now with full Idaho State Board of Education approval, the new degree emphasizes the utility of AI across industries and will create significant opportunities for students and the region.
“With recent advancements, artificial intelligence –particularly generative AI – has exploded into everyday life with exciting, and potentially scary, impacts on society,” Department of Computer Science Chair Jerry Fails said. “Computers had a similar impact on society and our department at Boise State is excited to lead the way within Idaho, the region and nationally to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to shape the field of AI and to influence it for the benefit of society.”
One of the degree’s standout features is its course offerings. Students can tailor coursework to fit specific interests through free electives. These electives allow students to combine AI with various disciplines such as generative AI, large language models, computer vision, reinforcement learning, deep learning, machine learning for business, philosophy and more.
“Even before Boise State stepped up in response to ChatGPT in November 2022, research and coursework relevant to AI has been available to students,” said Associate Professor Casey Kennington. “We want to prepare the generation of students to not just use AI, but to build the AI of the future.”
Kennington is one of the several professors in the Department of Computer Science who has led the efforts to create the new degree at Boise State. He leads the Speech, Language, and Interactive Machines research group whose research has garnered a NSF CAREER award and aided students to national fellowships and Goldwater Scholars.
College of Engineering Dean Amy Fleischer echoed that sentiment, adding that Boise State’s program is a first-of-its-kind offering in Idaho and the region, boosting the university’s leadership in tackling AI for all disciplines.
“At Boise State, we are committed to providing cutting-edge education that ensures our graduates are ready to succeed in the workforce of today and tomorrow,” Fleischer said. “Artificial intelligence is reshaping not only computer science, but all industries at an unprecedented pace, and it’s essential that we prepare our students to lead both locally and nationally in this evolving landscape.”
Boise State and the College of Engineering have invested in substantial infrastructure to support the Department of Computer Science over the last decade. This includes state investments to expand programs, create additional faculty lines as advocated by local industry partners and research opportunities.
The program strategically moved to downtown Boise in the multi-use City Center Plaza in 2016, placing students and faculty in close proximity to the city’s growing technology industry to strengthen partnerships and hire the motivated and skilled workforce ready for immediate impact.
Faculty and administrators believe the new AI degree will enable Boise State students to frame the future of AI and computing, and propel future economic growth within the state.
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