NEWS Winter 2026 17 PRESIDENT Q + A PHOTO BY OLIVIA GEHRKE, ’25 THIS ROVER RULES Robotics club wins international competition. Oregon State University’s DAM Robotics Club took first place against 25 teams from around the world at the Canadian International Rover Challenge this August. The competition, held in Alberta, Canada, tests student-built rovers on rugged terrain with missions mimicking what space explorers might face on Mars. The club’s rover successfully tackled tasks ranging from complex robotic arm maneuvers to autonomous navigation. “Watching and willing the rover forward when communications started failing and then the excitement and relief when our rover communications pulled through just enough to allow us to scan the last marker was particularly memorable,” robotics major Jared Northrop said, recounting the competition’s nerve-wracking final task.This is the club’s fourth win since the event began in 2017. The DAM Robotics Club is the largest student-led club on campus. — Theresa Hogue
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