UND hosts VEX Robotics tournament at Mall of America, supporting next generation of engineers and scientists
On Aug. 1-2, the UND College of Engineering & Mines took the helm of the highly anticipated annual VEX Robotics Signature at the Mall of America, now proudly titled the University of North Dakota Signature Event.
Located at the mall’s bustling north atrium, 200,000 curious daily mallgoers could stop their mid-shopping spree to watch robots whir, spin and score — and meet some of the engineers and scientists of tomorrow.
At the heart of the action (and most VEX Robotics activities in the College of Engineering & Mines) was Andrew Dahlen, lecturer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. No stranger to the VEX Robotics series, Dahlen has championed local mentorship in the community for almost 15 years now and has been an emcee at the VEX World Tournament for six years in a row.
“This early season event is the unofficial kickoff to the new competition season,” Dahlen said. “The University of North Dakota Signature Event gives VEX Robotics teams an opportunity to compete at a high level early in the season.”
Many of the 10,000+ viewers around the world who tuned into the event livestream did so for not only entertainment but also strategy. “The VEX Robotics Nation is watching this event to discover effective robot designs and game-play strategies which will evolve throughout the season,” Dahlen said.
“New for 2025, the University of North Dakota Signature was planned, executed and ‘painted green’ by the UND College of Engineering & Mines,” he said.
Teams from around the world
Coinciding with UND championing this year’s tournament were other changes around the event. For example, “to accommodate an increase to 115 teams, the event format added a fourth competition field, allowing qualification matches to be played at a blistering rate of 24 matches per hour.” The result? A better experience for teams.
“They traveled long distances to compete in this event, so it’s only fair we offer more matches and more time to collaborate with other teams across the world,” Dahlen said.
Competing at the annual Mall of America tournament is a big deal for students; it’s a premier opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best teams. With registration filling up in less than 10 minutes, teams from around the country and world vied for a chance to compete — and for a shot at the most coveted prize: the ability to advance to the VEX Robotics World Championship.
Three lucky teams snagged the fast-pass to the World Championship scheduled in St. Louis in 2026:
- Exothermic Burnout from Redmond, Wash. (Excellence Award)
- Snacky Cakes from Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. (Tournament Champions)
- Shanghai RuiGuan Team 9123C from Shanghai. (Tournament Champions)
UND on display
In an interview with FUN Robotics Network, the tournament champions talked strategy and teamwork. “We didn’t expect anything like this at all,” said one of Snacky Cakes’ members. A critical component of the tournament included striking promising alliances with other teams. “We were definitely looking at their team because we played them in one match.”
A member of the Shanghai team agreed that their alliance carried both teams’ strengths forward — especially their rapport. “I told them not to be nervous. Be good in mental health as well as the competition.”
Dahlen had nothing but praise for the 115 teams which came from around the world to compete at the mall. “They are so talented. They are practicing, budding engineers. We’re excited to see what their futures are going to look like, and we hope to see their talent brought to the UND College of Engineering & Mines.”
Aside from the robot action were opportunities for participants, spectators and mallgoers alike to learn about the University of North Dakota’s 70+ degree and certificate programs in Engineering, Computer Science and Geology. Proudly hosted by North Dakota’s flagship university, UND offers robotic-minded high school students a top-class and affordable gateway to exciting careers in robotics, computer science, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and more.
“The University of North Dakota College of Engineering & Mines does a lot of the things that this event represents,” said Dean Ryan Adams to participating students and their families. “Part of it is competitive, part of it is learning to write code, part of it is learning how to use autonomy, part of it is all of the motors and all of the servos, sensors and so forth that go into it. This is the kind of thing that is incredibly valuable across the engineering and science disciplines.”
While the most important takeaways of the event were fun and memories, Adams encouraged students to give thought to a future at UND. “We would love to welcome you there,” he said.
“This event lets us connect with students who are not just interested in STEM but actively living it through the robotics competition,” said Chad Frost, director of Outreach, Recruitment & Career Development at the College of Engineering & Mines. “More important, it positions the college as the engineering college aligned with competitive robotics in the Upper Midwest.”
Hosting this high-level event, Frost suggested, sends a clear message to families: “If you want to take your robotics, controls and automation skills to the next level, the UND College of Engineering & Mines is the place to do it.”
Future of the industry
More than 1.1 million kids are involved in the VEX Robotics program, with most of that next-gen workforce already knee-deep into challenges and interests of the industry. Kevin Welsh, marketing strategy manager at SICK Sensor Intelligence, addressed the competing teams with this in mind.
“You are all the future of automation and our industry,” he said. “I am so excited that there is going to be a whole slew of engineers coming from this event.”
During a midevent interview with The Manufacturing Millennial, Dahlen addressed the power of bringing these students together at the Mall of America with regional industry leaders and educators. “We want the trifecta,” he said.
“We want educators, the private sector and students to know that there are so many opportunities out there. One in three engineering jobs go unfilled.”
In industries in desperate need of engineers, students can take their passion for robotics into their education for a career outlook that’s not only lucrative in their favor but also fulfilling.
It takes a lot to bring together this many budding engineers and scientists for a two-day event. “We thank the Mall of America for letting us host this event,” said Paula Mortenson, volunteer coordinator. “There are more than 120 volunteers who have put in time and everything else over the past few days to make sure we were ready to host an amazing event.”
Generous support also came from the following event partners: SICK Sensor Intelligence, St. Cloud Technical & Community College and the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
While the University of North Dakota Signature has ended, the competitive season has just begun. For those in the Grand Forks area looking to catch the action, stay tuned for more VEX Robotics Competitions hosted by the UND College of Engineering & Mines, including the North Dakota Signature coming to the Alerus Center on Jan. 9-10.
>> Follow the UND College of Engineering & Mines on Instagram @undengineering for more photos and videos from the event. Also, a short video from the college gives a sense of the event’s energy and fun.
