VOTEMAR: Promoting professional vocations in marine technologies

The Action seeks to foster professional vocations in science and technology, contributing to increase and promote innovation and creativity in ESO, FP and Baccalaureate students in the field of marine technologies.

Based on the knowledge acquired in previous workshops on the construction of underwater robot prototypes at the University of Girona (UdG) and in the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), the aim is to promote and extend the experience among non-university centres throughout Spain. The idea is to train teachers on the workshop and have students, supervised by them, be able to creatively and innovatively develop ROV prototypes from low-cost everyday materials supplied by the Action. At the same time, there will be virtual collaboration and support between PLOCAN, the UdG and the teachers of the educational centres, to finally hold several meetings where the ROVs developed in each centre will be presented, demonstrating how they work. To take advantage of these events and to reach a wider audience, an exhibition on marine technologies will be held.

Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles (ROVs) represent a highly innovative and in-demand technology today to perform a variety of operations in the marine environment (e.g. salvage and rescue, renewable energy, deep sampling). The market already offers various types of ROVs according to their application, although they are in the minority and their development represents the blossoming of a growing industry. There is currently a demand for professionals in the underwater robotics sector, which makes it necessary to create new professional careers and to encourage vocations to access them among non-university students. The proposal is an initiative of the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) with the support of the UdG.