By Martin Moylan

MPR News/90.1 FM

Robotics teams from dozens of local high schools showed off their machines at 3M’s Maplewood headquarters Friday. The robots are diverse and the teams are increasingly so, too.

More young women and students of color are getting involved with robotics.

Don Bossi is president of FIRST, an organization that sponsors robotics competitions nationwide and encourages students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

FIRST is an acronym: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. The organization was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen.

“Across all of our programs, all the way from kindergarten through 12th grade, here in the United States, we’re just over 30 percent female participation and then people of color, Hispanic and such is probably just shy of 20 percent.”

Eagan High School senior Anusha Sharma is co-captain of her team. She got involved with robotics in seventh grade and plans to study computer science in college.

“For sure, things are changing,” she said. “There was a time where it was only guys, maybe just a few girls. And now it’s very even.”

She said that at her school recently, interest in joining the robotics team has been stronger among girls than boys.

Sharma is involved with an initiative called WIRES, Women in Robotics Empowering Sisters.

“This initiative encourages females to join FIRST teams and explore STEM professions. We do site visits around various STEM careers in the summer. We hold all-women panels.”

Sophomore Edward Corey is on the South St. Paul Iron Bulls robotics team. He’s been involved with robotics for four years and is working toward being the team’s programmer.

“I feel I learn a lot from (robotics),” he said. “I learn to focus on certain tasks that I need to get done, time management skills and a lot of things that are going to help me towards the future and the career path I take. I want to become an engineer, and I feel that robotics is definitely going to be a lot of help with that.”

In Minnesota, 225 high schools have robotics teams, with nearly 5,000 students working on everything from programming and design to fundraising and engineering.

3M is a major sponsor of robotics teams and competitions and has been hosting annual team gatherings at its headquarters. This year, the company has provided teams with $1.3 million in supplies and financial support.