Date 

Event Name 

Description 

Target Audience 

Location 

Jan. 17 

SeaPerch Challenge  

Underwater robotics competition in partnership with the U.S. Navy. 1st and 2nd place winning teams advance to the National SeaPerch Challenge. 

24 teams of 5 students each, a total of 120 high school students, plus their coaches

Brownsville ISD Margaret Clark Aquatic Center 

Jan. 28-30

HESTEC – UTRGV GEAR UP

3 days of hands-on, curated experiences designed to expose GEAR UP students to UTRGV academic programs in the Colleges of Engineering and Computer Science, Sciences, Health Professions and the School of Medicine.

400 ninth grade students from UTRGV GEAR UP (120-140 on each day), plus their teachers

Edinburg and Brownsville campuses
(2 days in Brownsville and 1 day in Edinburg)

Feb. 8 

Regional Science Bowl

Math and science jeopardy style competition. 1st place winning team advances to the National Science Bowl in Washington DC.

20 teams of 4-5 students each, total of 80-100 high school students, plus their coaches 

Edinburg campus 

March 4-6

HESTEC – Region One GEAR UP

3 days of hands-on, curated experiences designed to expose GEAR UP students to UTRGV academic programs in the Colleges of Engineering and Computer Science, Sciences, Health Professions and the School of Medicine.

360 eighth grade students from UTRGV GEAR UP (120 on each day), plus their teachers

Edinburg and Brownsville campuses
(2 days in Edinburg and 1 day in Brownsville)

April 3-4 

Electric Car Competition 

Competition that uses the excitement of motorsport to inspire students in STEM. Students build an electric car which they race to complete the longest distance in a pre-determined amount of time. 

30 teams of 10-15 middle and high school students each, total of 300-450 students 

Brownsville campus 

April 24 

Robotics Day  

Robotics competition aimed at having high school students design a robot to complete different tasks specified by the competition officials.  

40 teams of 5 students each, total of 200 high school students, plus their coaches

Edinburg campus