Recently, DRBC invited students from Philadelphia's Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School's STEM Club to its office to give a lunchtime presentation to staff about their underwater rover project. 

The camera-equipped underwater drone was built by the students using a OpenROV kit that was purchased thanks to a Climate and Urban Systems Partnership grant. Before the end of the last school year, the students took it for its maiden voyage in Philadelphia's Frankford Creek to observe aquatic life and the underwater environment.

The project was made possible by the Philadelphia Water Department's greenSTEM program, which helps connect students to the environment and introduces students to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career opportunities.

Staff were quite impressed with the project, as well as with the student's dedication and enthusiasm for building something that will help us all understand our waterways better. 

Learn more:

• Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School
• greenSTEM Program
• greenSTEM Blog: "Crossing the Delaware" (November 17, 2017)
• greenSTEM Blog: "Submersible Science: Philly Students Launch Underwater Drone with PWD" (June 15, 2017)
• Climate and Urban Systems Partnership - Philadelphia