Pupils from Mintlaw Academy will head off to Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, United States after winning the MATE Scotland ROV competition held at Robert Gordon University (RGU).
The group completed a series of underwater tasks with their very own Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and their success means they will travel to the US in June to take part in the international event.
Mintlaw Academy were one of four secondary schools who entered the competition held at RGU SPORT, and it was the only regional heat that took place in Europe this year. Grove Academy, Keith Grammer School, and Speyside Academy also competed in the annual competition held on Thursday 17 April.
The theme for the 2025 edition of MATE Scotland ROV was United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which was reflected in the climate change and ocean health tasks pupils had to carry out.
James Philp, MATE Scotland Regional co-ordinator from RGU’s School of Computing, Engineering and Technology, said: “The MATE ROV Scotland Regional competition is an incredible opportunity for students and school pupils from all over Scotland to apply engineering, teamwork, and critical thinking skills in a real-world underwater robotics challenge.
“Every year it’s so inspiring to see young innovators push the boundaries of technology while tackling these challenges in the marine environment, never failing to impress the judges who themselves come from the local subsea industry.”
John Isaacs, Dean of the School of Computing, Engineering and Technology, said: “This is such an amazing and inspiring event that provides the potential engineers of the future to work on a real-world challenge. The event is exceptionally rewarding for all the staff involved to see how much the teams are capable of both in the practical skills but also the confidence the event gives them in their own abilities.”
Ross McDonald, Senior Technical Assurance Engineer at Wood, said: “It’s great to be supporting a cause that gives young engineers the opportunity to apply their STEM skills to solving real-world problems. Fifteen years ago, I was one of those students taking part, and I know first-hand how much of a positive impact the competition has on equipping students with the skills and confidence needed to excel in their early careers.”
Gatsbyd Forsyth, Senior Vice President – Health, Safety, Environment & Security (HSES) for Harbour Energy’s UK business unit, said: “As an engineer myself, and the executive sponsor of Harbour Energy’s STEM Ambassadors network, I’m passionate about inspiring the next generation to consider a career in the energy sector and supporting regional initiatives like this, which showcase the passion we have for innovation, technology and creative thinking.
“Opportunities like these are what ignite the sparks of curiosity of those involved, helping to create a pipeline of talent that will shape the future of our industry. It’s a privilege to have been able to play a small part in their journey.”
The team from Mintlaw Academy, known as Mintlaw ROV, will travel to the Thunder Bay Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan to take place in The MATE ROV Competition World Championship. Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary protects a nationally significant collection of nearly 100 historic shipwrecks in Lake Huron off the Michigan coast. Through research, education, and community involvement, the sanctuary works to ensure generations can enjoy these underwater treasures.
The MATE Scotland ROV competition was co-ordinated and hosted by RGU, and this year kindly supported by Serica Energy, Harbour Energy and Wood.
The aim of the competition is to inspire and challenge young people to learn and creatively apply STEM skills to solving real world problems in a way that strengthens their critical thinking, collaborator, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The MATE Scotland ROV competition is searching for supporters for future events and any interested companies or individuals can contact materov@rgu.ac.uk
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