On April 11, more than 150 students from Arizona colleges and universities are expected to participate in the 10th Annual Avnet Tech Games at The University of Advancing Technology, Tempe, Arizona. With challenges that eye technological, business, and engineering applications, the Avnet Tech Games Event is like an advanced field day. Standard three-legged races and egg-on-a-spoon relays are replaced with events such as the race to build, troubleshoot, and tune a PC. In the Solar Scrimmage, students even get a chance to build a “green” water pump.
Avnet expects to award up to $35,000 in scholarships to winning students during the games.
The goal of the games is for the students to create solutions to multidisciplinary technology scenarios, which are commonly encountered by employees at technology companies. There are eight challenges in total. As mentioned, the Solar Scrimmage allows students to design, build, test, and present the best overall solar-powered "green energy" water pumping system. The Cisco Network Expert Security Battle challenges students to set-up, deploy, troubleshoot, and repair a network similar to a small office configuration. In the HP Fastest Computer Build Challenge, students race to build, troubleshoot, and tune a PC.
Among the other challenges is Desktop Domination, where competitors complete a series of tasks using the Windows 7 operating system. In contrast, the Digital Design Dilemma requires students to create, validate, and document a field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA) design that works on a provided circuit board. In the Green Data Center Challenge, students will design a state-of-the-art data center. Java Blitz sees students developing an application that can pass a set of one or more JUnit tests using Java 7 Standard Edition. Finally, in the Robot Race Obstacle Course, competitors will build and program a robot to maneuver objects through different mazes.
Each winning student of the Avnet Tech Games will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Faculty members will collect $200 for leading participating teams and an additional $300 for each winning team. Participating students will also have the opportunity to attend a networking hour, where they can connect with event sponsors and executives from companies such as Cisco, DP Air, HP, JDA Software, NetApp, Freescale, CDW, TE Connectivity, and World Wide Technology.
The Avnet Tech Games are set up by technology educators and companies. Each game challenges students to think creatively, gain hands-on experience, and understand the everyday aspects of working in the technology field. Registration is available on the Avnet Tech Games website.
