With her robotics school called OFpassiON, this very young woman aims to make the school of the future technological and in step with the times
Bringing children and young people closer to technology is a goal that is increasingly pursued in many areas, from academics to business to entertainment. Robotics, in this case, is a science capable of being innovative in the most diverse fields, stimulating those who are enthusiastic about cultivating their passions and knowledge.
It was precisely with these clear intentions in mind that Valeria Cagnina, an 18-year-old student enrolled at the Milan Polytechnic who, at the age of 16, founded a school to teach robotics to children, has continued to move forward.
In fact, robotics is a longstanding passion for her, given that she created her first robot at the age of about 9, using Arduino. In third grade, she has also had the opportunity to interview the famous Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano aka AstroLuca via Facebook, who recently was a speaker at the Opening Conference of Maker Faire Rome – The European Edition 2019.
OFpassiON is the name of the first robotics school created together with the computer scientist Francesco Baldassarre. Exactly as if it were a start-up, this didactic experience intervenes concretely in the scholastic world, to make it more up-to-date and more technological.
Therefore, training via robotics is understood to be an important means of support for a whole range of skills that are – and will be – required of the students and adults of tomorrow.
For her work and commitment, Valeria Cagnina has been included by Forbes magazine in the list of 100 under 30s that will guide the future. Moreover, every effort to make technology really useful for noble purposes such as education and culture is certainly positive and to be commended.
