Robotics & Engineering

Catlin Gabel’s high school engineering and robotics program involves students in real-world engineering challenges, computer science, design, math, and applied physics. The team and project-management skills learned here last a lifetime.

Engineering is one of the largest extracurricular activities in the Upper School, with more than 10% of the high school student body taking part. Students from 8-12th grade can join. Registration opens in early September.

ROBOTICS TEAM

Our Robotics team, the "Flaming Chickens," gets to work just after the beginning of the school year. Skills are quickly put to the test with the fall competition, BunnyBots. This event helps them prepare for the national FIRST Robotics competition that kicks off in January.

To create a 130-pound robot from scratch, students form sub-teams where they can focus on mechanical, software, and electronics design, video production, marketing, and graphic design. They use aluminum, steel, electronics, and pneumatics to create the robot, and the systems are programmed in Java.

Community Engineering

This program is about more than robots. Students focus on designing solutions for community organizations or widespread social challenges. Past community engineering projects have devised water transportation and disinfection solutions, designed apps and tools for disabled users, and engineered solar powered essentials for houseless Portlanders.

Resources

portrait of director of engineering education kevin forbes in front of the team 1540 sign in the outback robotics lab building

 

Teacher Profile

Director of Engineering Education Kevin Forbes guides students to approach problems and develop technologies in a responsible way.

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Robotics & Engineering Highlights

group portrait of Flaming Chickens Catlin Gabel Robotics team at a recent competition
in foreground, a large horizontal banner with the mascot and text the flaming chickens 1540 catlin gabel school portland oregon on it; in background 3 catlin gabel students working on a robot during a robotics competition
three students looking at robotics part with director of engineering education kevin forbes in robotics workshop