In this episode, Audrow Nash speaks to Dan Mantz, who is the CEO of the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. The REC Foundation is a nonprofit that works with VEX Robotics to build interest in STEM related career opportunities. Dan speaks about the different competitions REC facilitates, why REC is a nonprofit, how REC works with VEX Robotics, on the importance of soft skills, on workforce gaps, and on the future of education.

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EPISODE LINKS:
– REC Foundation’s website: https://www.roboticseducation.org/}
– Dan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmantz/}
– Dan’s email: mailto:dan_mantz@roboticseducation.org}

PODCAST INFO:
– Podcast website: https://sensethinkact.com}
– Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sense–think–act/id1582090036}
– Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/52wK4oMDvgijRk6E82tC5d}
– RSS: https://sensethinkact.com/itunes.xml}
– Full episodes: https://www.youtube.com/c/SenseThinkActPodcast}
– Clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChfnCpNwZzYtZ32J–pZvNDg}

OUTLINE:
– (0:00:00 ) Start
– (0:01:34 ) Introductions
– (0:06:01 ) Funding with the museum model
– (0:12:17 ) What REC does day–to–day
– (0:15:19 ) On being a Nonprofit
– (0:16:33 ) Nonprofit versus for profit
– (0:21:03 ) Different programs for different ages
– (0:25:12 ) Mission and vision
– (0:26:08 ) Game design
– (0:29:42 ) Hardware
– (0:35:32 ) Software
– (0:37:33 ) Working with VEX
– (0:40:35 ) Preparing competitions in advance
– (0:43:26 ) Drone competitions
– (0:46:04 ) STEM workforce gaps + Industry 4.0
– (0:50:40 ) Soft skills and communication
– (0:57:24 ) COVID and simulation
– (1:00:20 ) Why hands on?
– (1:03:17 ) Open source?
– (1:08:28 ) Dan’s background
– (1:14:49 ) REC and existing education programs
– (1:19:28 ) Adding REC into main curriculum
– (1:25:08 ) Future of education
– (1:27:06 ) Resources and links

SOCIAL:
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/sense_think_act}
– Discourse: https://discourse.ros.org/c/sensethinkact/71}