By Malak Abu-Hajar
Staff Writer
The timer beeps, signaling the start of the eight-minute timed course as Seapearch drivers junior Ian Fong and freshman Kexin Zhang carefully guide their robot through the underwater mission course. Drifting through various hoops, the Remotely Operated Vehicle quickly picks up objects using its PVC pipe hook. The crowd erupts into applause as the ROV finishes the course at the UC Riverside pool on March 21, winning second place and securing a spot in international competition. Senior Leilany Garcia is the captain of Seaperch and founded the team in Nov. 2023.
“I created Seaperch because being a Latina in STEM, I always felt underrepresented and looked down upon as less capable than my peers,” Garcia said. “Most of the teams I was on felt a little shallow and overly competitive, so I wanted to create a community that felt safe and lively. Seaperch is the only STEM program on campus that is open to complete beginners, and it’s arguably the most cost-effective program to participate in.”
Seaperch is a competitive engineering program where students design low-cost ROVs to complete a new underwater mission each year. Students develop business operation and mechanical engineering skills, following a curriculum teaching STEM standards.
The competition consists of three different divisions: middle school Stock, high school Stock, and a general Open Class that is open to all grade levels. Stock Classes have restrictions on how ROV kits can be built, and are limited to basic materials provided by Seaperch. The Open Class rules are less strict, allowing students to be more creative with their designs through unique structures, such as using 3D printed parts. The high school has four Seaperch teams: two Open and two Stock. Each team has two members focused on electrical components, two members focused on mechanical and building and one member responsible for documentation. Nine operations members raise funds for all four teams.
“Be motivated and be creative, think outside of the box because most of the time, the more unconventional looking ROV will win because of [not only] creativity, but also one’s willingness to make it work,” Assistant Captain junior Bonnie Wu said. “Remember to be flexible and carefree; be open-minded towards everything.”
ROVs must fit into an 18-inch box and cost less than $25 to make. Pre-prepared kit materials include PVC pipes, pool noodles, three 12V DC motors with propellers, wiring, a controller pack, tether cable, battery and charger. Unlike most other engineering programs, Seaperch does not require any software knowledge or robot automation.
“I love my teammates, and I love teaching and leading a team of like-minded individuals,” Garcia said. “I like to think of Seaperch as one big family. I’ve been able to overcome a lot of my fears through this team and I’ve accomplished so much.”
Preparation and practice lasts nearly seven months, with mission themes released during the fall and regional competitions set during the spring. Internationals, if qualified for, take place in late May through early June.