Northrop Grumman has offered financial support to conduct a competition called the Rodeo in the UAE. The Rodeo competition was aimed at displaying unmanned systems and allowing students to explore areas such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Northrop Grumman is an international security company that provides advanced products, systems, and solutions across various domains such as electronics, aerospace, and information systems. The two-day event was held at the Higher Colleges of Technologies campus located in Abu Dhabi.
During the competition, students were expected to design, construct and display their unmanned systems that complete a particular task independently. The Rodeo competition helped to improve presentation skills and team work among students. The student teams had created and tested unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over a period of four months. Aerospace engineers from Northrop Grumman traveled to the UAE to help guide students before the competition. Northrop Grumman is the primary sponsor for the competition. Northrop Grumman signed a memorandum of understanding with Higher Colleges of Technologies in April 2010 and collaborated to discover and improve STEM associated education to build a robust and skilled workforce across multiple sectors in the UAE.
According to the CEO and president of Northrop Grumman, Wes Bush, the Rodeo offers a chance for youngsters in the UAE to enhance their knowledge and technological skills.