STEMinist Takes Off: Girl Scouts Take the Lead in the First-Ever USAGSO Program in the Middle East at NYU Abu Dhabi
March 16, 2026
USA Girl Scouts Overseas was thrilled to host STEMinist: Spark & Speed, an exciting hands-on adventure in cars and robots for Girl Scouts in Abu Dhabi! In partnership with The Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) at NYU Abu Dhabi, Girl Scouts explored the science behind robotics and engineering through fun, interactive challenges.
CAIR focuses on fundamental research and advanced applications in artificial intelligence and robotics, and the girls got a firsthand look at how this work is shaping the future. One of the highlights of the day was meeting Spot, a real robotic dog powered by AI! Girl Scouts also learned directly from Lolowa Alkindi, NYU Abu Dhabi Research Assistant, who shared how her work at CAIR is making a real-world impact and inspiring innovation.
After learning all about how CAIR is impacting robots from NYU researchers, the Girl Scouts jumped right into action. The girls got hands-on coding their own “robots,” also known as coding critters, programming them to move step-by-step using simple commands. Older Girl Scouts learned how to code using special commands, creating color-coded programs for Ozobots. Ozobots are tiny robots that follow colorful lines using sensors, and based on colorful patterns, take a different action. By using special color codes- like fast, slow, spin and turn- the Girl Scouts became robot programmers! Through colorful coding sequences, the girls discovered that the order of commands really matters. Just like giving directions, each color represents a command and when the colors are placed in the correct pattern, the robot knows exactly what to do. These coding activities helped the Girl Scouts build skills in problem-solving, sequencing and logical thinking- all key parts of coding, a foundation for robotics.
The fun kept rolling as the Girl Scouts built LEGO® cars and designed, painted and raced their very own solar-powered cars. Along the way, they explored how a simple pulley system helped turn the back wheels and learned how the power of the sun can be used to move things. Girl Scouts ages 6 to 15 had their wheels- and imaginations- turning!
STEMinist: Spark & Speed was more than just an event- it was a chance for Girl Scouts to meet real-life researchers working in the field of robotics. The day ended with excitement, big smiles and solar-powered race cars in hand, proving once again that when Girl Scouts come together, curiosity leads the way and the future is bright.
This event marked the first in-person program hosted by USAGSO in the Middle East. The STEMinist program series is designed to spark curiosity and confidence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through both virtual and in-person experiences. Learn more about the STEMinist program here.
