WASHINGTON, DC – Howard University announced today a two-day event, convening September 11 – 12, to increase pathways to careers in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) for high school and college students.

The University will welcome Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area precollege students to campus Sept. 11, 2025, to gain first-hand exposure to collegiate preparatory pathways for robotics and AI careers. Event sponsor Amazon Fulfillment Technologies and First Robotics will demonstrate their warehouse and consumer robots to students in person. First Robotics competition participation will be emphasized as an initial step in robotics and artificial intelligence pre-college preparation. 

On Sept. 12, college students will interact with roboticists, engineers, researchers and staff from Amazon, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Viriginia Tech, and Howard University to learn about graduate pathways to robotics and AI innovation. The program will include a presentation of robotics and AI opportunities by Amazon followed by faculty presentations on robotics and AI curriculum and research experiences. The program will also highlight will be highlighted benefits for collegiate engineering students providing “near peer” mentoring to pre-college First Robotics teams. 

During both days Amazon, First Robotics teams, the Howard University Robotics Organization, the U.S. Army, and the Navy will exhibit robots, drones, and AI-controlled devices. Attendees will gain knowledge about robotics futures, including Howard University and Amazon FTR partnerships expanding talent pipelines through academic and career enrichment activities which equip students with real-world skills.

First Robotics is the regional arm of the global FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), which inspires young people to be science and technology leaders. Serving students in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, FIRST Chesapeake organizes robotics competitions where high school teams design, build, and program industrial-size robots to compete in alliance-based games. Howard’s partnership with FIRST Chesapeake highlights a shared commitment to cultivating the next generation of engineers, roboticists, and innovators across the region. 

WHAT: Robotics & AI Community Outreach Event

WHO:  

• Dr. Harry Keeling, Howard University Computer Science Department Interim Chair and Amazon/Howard University partnership lead.
• Dr. Jessie Guinn, senior program manager Amazon University Partnerships and Outreach
• Shelly Alexander, First Robotics Chesapeake vice president
• Dr. Chad Jenkins, University of Michigan robotics professor and Sloan DTC

WHEN: 

• Sept. 11, 2025, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Sept. 12, 2025, 9a.m.-4 p.m.

WHERE: Armour J. Blackburn Center, 2397 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20059

* MEDIA ATTENDANCE: Advance RSVP to Carol Wilkerson (carol.wilkerson@howard.edu) is required. Access to cover the event is not guaranteed without prior written approval from The Office of University Communications. B-roll available upon request. 

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About Howard University

Howard University, established in 1867, is a leading private research university based in Washington, D.C. Howard’s 14 schools and colleges offer 140 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs and lead the nation in producing African Americans with professional doctoral degrees. Howard is the top-ranked historically Black college or university according to Forbes, the only HBCU with an R1 research institution designation, and the only HBCU ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 National Universities. Renowned for its esteemed faculty, high achieving students, and commitment to excellence, leadership, truth and service, Howard produces distinguished alumni across all sectors, which have included the first Black U.S. Supreme Court justice and the first woman U.S. vice president; a Nobel Prize laureate; Schwarzman, Marshall, Rhodes and Truman Scholars; prestigious fellows; and over 170 Fulbright recipients. Learn more at www.howard.edu.