This weekend kicked off a weeklong celebration of science and engineering at FAU. On Saturday, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science hosted students from 17 middle schools and 37 high schools for the 11th annual southeast Florida regional Science Olympiad competition. Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School were scheduled to compete, but in light of last week’s tragedy, did not attend the event. A moment of silence was observed in honor of the victims.

Science Olympiad participants competed in teams in a variety of STEM disciplines, including anatomy, astronomy, herpetology, ecology, material science, optics and more. All events were developed and judged by FAU professors, as well as undergraduate and graduate students. Regional winners will compete in the state tournament, with the hope of advancing to the national tournament.

Also on Saturday, “Self Driven,” a hands-on exhibit developed by FAU’s Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Lab and FAU High School, opened at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Ft. Lauderdale. The exhibit, which is open through today, features drones, underwater robotics, autonomous vehicles and more to explain artificial intelligence. I commend Dean Ata Sarajedini for his vision in showcasing FAU research and students in the community, and for establishing this exciting new partnership with the Museum.

Today kicks off “Engineers Week 2018: Engineering Reality, From Imagination to Realization.” The College of Engineering and Computer Science has planned a number of events to increase awareness of the engineering profession and recognize the contributions engineers make to society. For more information, visit http://s.fau.edu/eweek2018.