Page 28: of Marine Technology Magazine (September 2018)

Jill Zande, MATE II oices

In addition to engineering their ROVs, the students prepare ternational competition. We have working professionals who technical reports, poster displays, and presentations that are make the competition a regularly scheduled part of their year, delivered to working professionals who serve as competition building their vacation around it and, in some cases, paying judges. The MATE competition encourages students to work out of their own pocket to get there. We also have profession- together, network, and learn from technical professionals and als who each year judge the teams’ technical reports yet never each other. MATE’s philosophy is that collaborative learn- have the opportunity to attend the competition and meet these ing experiences best simulate the real world and will serve teams in person. students – and their future employers – well in the workplace. And I have to say it is so rewarding (and humbling) to look out over the sea of students, teachers, mentors, parents, and

From your time with the organization, of what are you volunteers during the opening and closing award ceremonies. most proud/from what do you get the greatest sense of To see how the competition has grown and brought together satisfaction? such a diversity of people and cultures, built a global commu-

Each year I am amazed at the innovation and entrepreneur- nity of learners, inspired career paths, opened up opportuni- ship of the student teams. They come up with some creative ties, and changed lives. and sophisticated solutions. I think that the teams are equally As it says in that 2017 international competition video, “it’s as amazed at the variety of solutions that they see when they where the product being developed is just as much the person come to the event as the ROV.”

What also gives me a great deal satisfaction is the support I’m honored to play a small part in helping to “groom the and dedication of our volunteers. We have people like Marty next generation” and inspire and motivate brilliant young

Klein, who has volunteered since the very beginning and trav- minds to tackle these challenges. els each year, no matter where we are, to be a part of the in-

Looking ahead, what is your biggest challenge?

I used to say managing the explosive growth (we went from 1 regional in 2002 to 31 in 2018), but now I say funding! Es- pecially as we make the transition from a grant-funded center to a non-pro