Public and private school students of all levels will have a greater chance of joining robotics competitions next school year as a result of a $100,000 sponsorship the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Corp. will grant the Puerto Rico Institute of Robotics, the agency announced Thursday.
PRIOR is the product of an alliance between the Puerto Rico Polytechnic University, NASA, the Education Department, Pridco, and the industry, whose goal is to stimulate the interest and knowledge among students in the disciplines of science, math, engineering and technology.
For the last three years, the organization has sponsored a robotics competition, gathering students from 100 schools throughout the island to select the winning team that will move on to the national robotics competition.
“It is Pridco’s ministerial duty to lead initiatives and provide resources to strengthen Puerto Rico’s competitiveness,” said José Ramón-Pérez Riera, chief of Economic Development and Commerce and Pridco. “Through this sponsorship, we are investing in the future of the island and in an economy based on knowledge and innovation.”
Pridco’s sponsorship will allow PRIOR to benefit approximately 7,000 students through various robotics-related forums and presentations. It will also enable about 500 students to join the 2011 Technological Challenge robotics competition. That means about twice as many students benefiting from PRIOR’s program in comparison to last year.
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“This project not only represents a significant investment in our island’s tourism infrastructure, but also symbolizes Puerto Rico’s ability to attract and execute large-scale projects.
The Investment Portfolio Program, with a budget of $800 million, plays a crucial role in offering loans with favorable terms for the development of projects that have the potential to transform the Puerto Rican economy.”
— Puerto Rico Housing Secretary William Rodríguez regarding the construction of a $77 million dual-branded hotel project in San Juan’s Convention Center District, featuring Hilton’s Hampton and Homewood Suites.
The project by PRISA Group includes a 400-vehicle parking structure and a 175,000-square-foot hotel tower, financed by Banco Popular and a $10 million federal disaster recovery loan from the Economic Development Investment Portfolio Program managed by the Department of Housing.