On November 8, the LigerBots attended the Rockwell Automation Conference, an annual conference that we were invited to as an FRC team. This year the event was held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

The Rockwell Automation Conference is a three day long trade conference, where we were given the opportunity to interact with industry professionals. The LigerBots attended Rockwell as a representative for FIRST, spreading awareness of FIRST to the community.

“Rockwell is one of our biggest sponsors so I was super excited to be there and we got to talk to other FIRST teams and talk to professionals in various fields,” said Co-COO Charlotte Storey.

We brought our 2023 robot and we did mock games of Charged Up, last year’s FRC game as a way to demonstrate what type of activities we do as a high school robotics team, a perfect opportunity to meet and talk to many new potential sponsors. There were many local and nationwide companies in attendance at Rockwell, as well as many professionals within STEM industries which the LigerBots got to interact with. We also got a chance to tour the conference and see products and ideas of all the different companies such as an electromagnetic table with floating plates.

“I thought that there were a couple of biotech/regenerative organ companies that worked on really interesting things.” said Co-CTO Julia Hulburd.

Something that one of many of the members enjoyed was the provided food at the venue.

“I remember that we had really good food at the venue and there was good steak, chicken and this really delicious blue cheese dressing” according to team member Franklin Ji, “That day I was so full, I didn’t even eat dinner.”