On Saturday, March 3, 2018, Webb Institute’s Dean and Professor of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Matthew Werner served as the lead judge at the Cayman Islands SeaPerch Challenge.

Twenty-one teams from six schools in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac participated in the day-long underwater robotics challenge, which was presented in partnership with Dart’s Minds Inspired, WISTA, and Maples and Calder. The long-term goal of the Cayman Islands SeaPerch Challenge is to encourage more students to study STEM subjects and ultimately, seek STEM-related careers.

Students who participated in the Cayman Islands SeaPerch challenge were required to submit an engineering journal where they logged their activities during the design and construction of their Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs). The students were then judged on how quickly they could navigate their vehicle and move objects around the pool at the Camana Bay Sports Complex. The engineering journals submitted by each team were evaluated and scored by members of the Webb faculty and student body to guarantee objective scoring. Engineering journal reviewers included: Professor Martin, Professor Onas, Mara DuVernois ’20, Renee Tremblay ’20, Jonathan Wang ’20, Chris Merola ’21, and Hank Rouland ’21.

The winners of the high school division were the Layman E. Scott Brac Bots (Kenny Ryan and David Tibbetts). And the winners of the middle school division were the John Gray Aqua Lasers (Diamond White, Davonte Howell, Alvan Boxwell, and Caleb Feare).

Both teams will head to the International SeaPerch underwater robotics challenge in Dartmouth, Massachusetts in June.