Franklin Lakes, NJ (March 26, 1997) -- Becton Dickinson recently teamed up with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) to sponsor the Bergen Academy for Advancement of Science and Technology in the 1997 FIRST Competition.

FIRST, a national non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring interest in science and technology, has designed the competition to bring engineers from businesses and universities together with students. Students are provided with a standard kit of hardware and challenged to design and construct robots capable of performing a complex series of actions. These robots then compete in regional and national championship games.

"This is a very challenging project that involves real world applications of technology," explains Joe DePisa, Manager of Technology Scouting and Analysis. "The robot must work or it does not compete!" Engineers from Becton Dickinson and NJIT met with 42 students from the Hackensack-based Bergen Academy after work to help them design and construct their robot, VIC, (Victory in Cooperation).

The engineers served as mentors, brainstorming with the students and offering help and advice. Among those from Becton Dickinson who participated are Betty Brooks, Steve Depoe, Rich Evans, Jon Gabel, Tony Mauriello, Caroline McLoughlin, Jeff Rovell, Bob Strowe, and Ken Taylor.

"Their level of imagination was always high," commented Depoe. "There came a time when we had to rein that in. When you are four weeks into a six-week design-and-build cycle, it's time to stop being inventive and start building and testing!" In addition to participating in two skills competitions, the team entered the animation category with a 30-second film and the documentation competition -- a videotape that explains the Becton Dickinson, NJIT and Academy partnership to create VIC.

"Victory in Cooperation is a way of life," said the students in their video. "From this perspective the project is already a great success and victory has already been achieved."