Following their successful participation in the 2024 First Global Challenge the sponsor of the STEMGuyana team, MODEC Guyana Inc, recently met with the members and discussed their journey to the challenge and how science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) plays a role in their lives.
According to a press release from STEMGuyana, Guyana’s National Robotics Team consists of a group of 15 talented youths aged 14 to 18, six of whom recently represented Guyana at the global challenge Athens, Greece. MODEC is a global leader in floating production solutions such as Floating Production Storage and Offloading units (FPSO) and Tension Leg Platforms (TLPs) for the offshore oil and gas industry.
The MODEC team at the meeting was led by Country Manager Rafael Fumis, and included Training Coordinator Livia Alves, Stakeholder, Socio-Economic & Local Content Manager Onicka Jones, and Communications Analyst Kipenie Jordan.
According to the press release, during their visit, MODEC’s representatives engaged the robotics team in discussions about their training, preparation, and participation in the competition.
“The students explained how they worked closely with their international alliance members, analyzing each other’s robots to divide tasks based on their strengths. For instance, they shared that their robot excelled in carrying and offloading tasks, so they focused on perfecting that function. They also described how they made real-time adjustments to their robot throughout the competition to stay competitive,” the release said.
Fumis, the release said, spoke with the team and drew parallels between the robotics work and the tasks performed in the offshore oil and gas industry. “The work you’re doing here is very similar to what we do in our operations,” he was quoted as saying in the release.
“On our offshore platforms, we control thousands of valves through CPUs like the one in your robot. We analyze data from various sensors, and those valves react to maintain the process table. The skills you are learning here are directly applicable to the work we do. Additionally, we use robots and drones for inspections and 3D modelling, so what you’re learning will undoubtedly make a difference in your future careers. Well done.”
Meanwhile, the release said Operations Manager at STEMGuyana Alisha Koulen took the opportunity to brief the MODEC team on the various programmes offered by STEMGuyana, including STEM clubs, learning pods, national competitions, the STEMGuyana Innovation Expo, the Robin the Robot TV programme, the parent academy, the virtual academy, and summer camps.
Board Member and Fundraising Coordinator for STEMGuyana Elsie Harry highlighted the relevance of the students’ STEM education to the growing demands of the oil and gas sector. The release said she recalled that several STEMGuyana alumni had been recruited by companies within the industry. She also suggested that when MODEC’s FPSO unit arrives in Guyana, it would be an exciting opportunity for the robotics students to visit and witness its operations firsthand.
Lakesha McArthur, who served as the robot driver during the First Global Challenge, expressed her heartfelt thanks to MODEC Guyana Inc for their generous sponsorship and presented the MODEC team with STEMGuyana memorabilia as a token of appreciation, the release said.
It noted that Team Guyana Robotics 2024’s participation in the Athens challenge was made possible through the generous support and sponsorship of several key contributors. STEMGuyana thanked Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony, Malvie Talbot from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the First Global Organization, MODEC, and the parents of team members. Gratitude was also extended to local restaurants—Starbucks, Big Kahuna, and Saboor—for providing snacks for the team.
