Economics Professor, Dr. Marcel Oestreich, served as a judge at the Canada Cup of Robotics – Niagara 2026, an international youth robotics event hosted by Brock University in partnership with FIRST Robotics Canada. The event brought together thousands of students, mentors, and spectators from more than 30 countries at Brock University from June 14 to 20.
Dr. Oestreich helped evaluate teams’ robot designs and science presentations as students from around the world gathered for the week-long event. The competition brought together young innovators who designed and built robots while developing important skills in problem-solving, innovation, and teamwork.
“As robotics becomes increasingly sophisticated through advances in artificial intelligence and automation, these technologies are reshaping the workplace,” said Dr. Oestreich. “An economics perspective is useful when thinking about how new technologies are designed and adopted including the resources they require, the trade-offs they involve, and their broader implications for society.”
The event provided an exciting opportunity to celebrate the creativity, technical skill, and ambition of students helping to imagine the future of technology.
