Message from the WRO Advisory Council Chairman

Welcome to the 8th World Robot Olympiad in Abu Dhabi! Robotics is a wonderful platform for learning 21st century skills.  Solving robotic challenges builds innovation, creativity and problem solving skills in students, and because robotics cross multiple curriculum subjects, students must learn and apply their knowledge in science, engineering, math, and computer programming. The most rewarding part of designing robots is that students have fun, work together as a team, and learning occurs as naturally as breathing air.

WRO has been building this learning platform for 7 years now.  Our first robotics competition was in 2004 where we had 12 countries and 4000 teams. This year we anticipate over 35 countries and over 13,000 teams from around the world taking part in WRO activities in local, regional, and national competitions.  I would like to extend my most sincere gratitude to the volunteers, organizers, and participants for making WRO such a huge success.  

I look forward to the 2011 WRO in Abu Dhabi. From our initial visit, the UAE Project Team and Organizing Committee have demonstrated their enthusiasm, passion, and extreme attention to detail in the preparations. I am sure we will all have a memorable and wonderful experience in November.  See you soon!

Mr Eugene Zhang - WRO Chairman

Mr Zhang was an optical engineer and worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and Hughes Danbury Optical Systems in Connecticut.  In 1995 he joined National Instruments and established their first operations in China.  In 2000 Eugene started Semia Education Technology Limited with the mission to bring the best education philosophy and learning tools to children in China.  In 2001 he worked with the China Association of Science and Technology and started the first China National Youth Robotics Competition, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2010. Eugene joined the WRO organization in 2003, and since then he has been an active member in promoting robotics education throughout China and the rest of the world, hoping to bring the joy of learning through robotics to more and more children.