May 13, 2019
Purdue hosts 4th annual agBOT Challenge
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University’s College of Agriculture is partnering with Gerrish Farms to host the fourth annual agBOT Challenge, a three-day event May 16-18.
The agBOT Challenge includes the NextGen Expo, an interactive STEM event, and the agBot competition, an international showcase and competition of agriculture-based autonomous machine innovations. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The event is part of Purdue University’s Ideas Festival, the centerpiece of Purdue’s Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign. The Ideas Festival is featuring a series of events that connect world-renowned speakers and Purdue expertise in a conversation on the most critical problems facing the world. The theme of the agBOT Challenge is “What IF High-Speed Broadband Reached Everyone?”
The events of the agBOT Challenge combine educational and competitive opportunities aimed at farmers, entrepreneurs, students and innovators. The event will be held at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education, 4540 U.S. 52 West, West Lafayette.
“We’re delighted to bring the 2019 agBOT Challenge to Purdue,” said Karen Plaut, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture at Purdue. “This event will bring students, researchers and entrepreneurs together and will showcase innovative ideas and technologies that can provide solutions for the future.”
The NextGen Expo, held on May 16, will be open to media and the general public. This event will create an interactive STEM fair that explores the interface of digital technologies and agriculture. Nearly 20 teams will compete from universities around the world, including one team from Egypt and one from Canada. The other teams hail from Indiana, Texas, Colorado, Virginia, South Carolina and Illinois.
Event attendance is free with pre-registration. For more information, visit https://ag.purdue.edu/agBOT/.
Media contact: Emma Ea Ambrose, 765-494-2406, eeambros@purdue.edu
Sources: Ronald F. Turco, 765.494.4774, rturco@purdue.edu
Rachel Gerrish, 765.918.8666, agbotchallenge@gmail.com
Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu
