March Madness, Engineering style in the form of the FIRST Robotic Regional Championships returns to Wayne State University\'s Mathieu Athletic Complex for the second straight year beginning Friday, March 18, with opening ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. (See complete schedule below.) Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid and Michele Grimm, College of Engineering associate dean of academic affairs, are among the speakers. Thirty three high school teams from the Detroit metro are scheduled to compete in the two-day event at Wayne State University\'s Mathieu Athletic Complex, pitting their engineering skills before the dramatic backdrop of rock style music, an adrenalin-charged MC, and big screen displays of all the action and scoring. Last year\'s competition at WSU Melvindale and Pontiac Central High Schools are returning to defend their regional championship. Hoping to knock them off are Notre Dame Prep (Rochester Hills), Southfield, Hamtramck, Utica, Troy, Rochester Adams, Dearborn, Ferndale, Birmingham Groves and Oak Park High Schools, among others. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a national engineering contest that immerses high school students in the exciting world of engineering and technology. Teaming up with mentors from businesses and universities, students get a hands-on inside look at engineering and the technical professions - all within a framework of competition and a sports-like environment. The Detroit Regional is one of 30 regional events taking place in March across the nation. More than 20,000 students from around the world are expected to participate. The Detroit Regional is one of three taking place in Michigan. Teams scoring well in the regionals advance to the National Championship to be held in Atlanta, Ga., April 21-23. Teams from the United States, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, Ecuador, Israel and possibly additional countries are expected to compete. The competition incorporates pre-programmed autonomous robot operation and human player/robot interaction on a 57 by 24-foot field of play. This year\'s competition, called \'triple play\', calls for two opposing alliances of three teams each competing to place and stack the most tetras in the opponent\'s end zone. As an additional \"prize\" for FIRST competitors, Wayne State, through its Honors Program, is offering scholarships to qualifying FIRST participants. To be eligible, students must apply to Wayne State, have a minimum 3.5 GPA and have taken the ACT (American College Test) entrance exam. In addition, the College of Engineering is offering three four-year scholarships. ABOUT FIRST Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools and their communities. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology and engineering. With the support of many of the world\'s most well known companies, the non-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students and the FIRST LEGOª League for children 9-14 years old. To learn more about FIRST and the FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.usfirst.org.