What if robots could go where people can’t? To dangerous, rocky terrain, not to explore, but to rebuild. Wildfires have turned the once luscious, green forests into barren landscapes where plants can’t grow. For people like Marta Benardino, this wasn’t something she saw in the news, or read about in books, but this was something she witnessed happen to the place she called home.

  Marta Bernardino is a 20 year old college student, who, along with one of her friends, Sebastião Mendonça, is working to develop robots that can reach some areas of earth where it is challenging for humans to, and plant more trees there. 

The pair grew up near Lisbon, Portugal, and always thought that the trees would be there forever. However, this proved to be shockingly untrue. A study showed that between 1980 and 2023, Portugal lost over 54% of their wildlife territory. This was mainly due to wildfires.

Initially, Marta and Sebastião believed that nature would be able to fix herself over time. However, this was untrue, since the soil was far too damaged. They learned that even though there were volunteers trying to help regrow the forest, it wasn’t working due to the fact that most of the damaged territory was in steep, rocky terrain in Portugal. They understood that the existing solutions were failing to properly solve the problem, and decided to find a new approach to solving this problem. 

They decided to work to create a robot, Trovador, in 2023. The robot was supposed to be able to plant trees quickly and efficiently, even in unsafe terrain. The robot, Trovador, is similar to a regular hexapod. It has several advantages like higher mobility, stability, and efficiency. The robot has the capabilities to climb slopes up to 45 degrees, as well as avoiding any boulders in its way. The robot is also a lot more efficient than humans, since it can plant up to 200 saplings an hour. Unlike tractors, the robot barely makes an indent on the ground, allowing space for air and water in the soil. Trovador also can upload data points, such as the sapling’s GPS coordinates, soil humidity, and pH levels. 

While their first prototype was made out of recycled materials and cost only $17, they are working to build more versions of the robot. In 2024, they were a top finalist for National Geographic’s Slingshot Challenge, and won a grant of $10,000!

The versions that are being built are getting made out of PVC tubes, as well as a lot of recycled materials, which is only helping the environment. Marta is working to create newer and better versions, since this one has drawbacks. Some of these drawbacks include that it is complex to build by hand, it has very weak maintenance, and it utilizes large amounts of power. The robot gets a limited endurance which reduces its working time significantly. 

Landscape architects believe that Trovador has a lot of potential. They are extremely optimistic and believe that the robot can help with the reforestation. Even though there are new tools being created to help with reforestation, it is still important to work to stop deforestation, since we are losing trees faster than we can plant them. 

The price of such an object also needs to be considered when deciding whether people will use this invention. The robot needs to be affordable so that it can be used on a large scale by people all over the world. The pair believes that prices will go down, as it will be significantly cheaper than other reforestation methods, such as paying people to do it. 
​
Both Marta and Sebastião believe that this will be an invention that helps our Earth a lot. The inventors believe that with this robot and new technology, reforestation will be fast and precise, and will help us make up for lost time. 
​

FTC Team 13201 Hazmat hosted our Battle of Brookfield Annual qualifier (BOBA) on February 7th, 2026. To show our commitment to gender equality in STEM, we invited our guest speaker, Dr. Zhu Li, the Chief Technology Officer of the Global MRI Business at GE HealthCare, who shared personal reflections on being one of the only - and often youngest - women in the room, and we also hosted a Women In Technology and Science career fair (WITS).

During the opening ceremony, Dr. Zhu Li reflected on her experience. She told us that she, too, at times, felt like she didn’t belong, yet emphasized that those feelings should never limit what we believe that we can achieve.   She shared how it is important to foster curiosity, especially in young minds such as ours. Her message encouraged all of us to pursue our goals with confidence, nurture our curiosity, and continue to explore whatever inspires us. 

We also held a Women in Technology and Science (WITS) Career Fair. There, we invited companies with women with jobs in the STEM field to set up tables, and eight eventually came. We planned the event layout in advance and also created a fun activity where students earned stickers by asking questions at each company table to win free boba. After the career fair, we held a panel discussion where we asked the women questions about their careers and invited students to ask their own questions. Everyone from the different companies brought in really cool demos; for example, GE HealthCare had a robotic dog that could wave, which helped make people more interested in the fair. After this, we also held a WITS Career panel discussion, where we asked them questions about their careers, what they did in high school to prepare, and other useful tips. We then had some allotted time for other students to ask questions as well. Our career fair was extremely successful because it gave everyone at our school a chance to interact with women working in different STEM and tech fields and learn about their professional experiences. Even though initially it was mainly to get girls interested in STEM, it turned out to be a way to get many people start thinking about future careers in the STEM field. 

We showed our support for gender equality through our guest speaker and our career fair. The career fair opened the eyes of many people, even in the FLL teams. It showed girls that they, too, could be in a STEM field/ profession, and showed older students how they could plan their high school careers to help them be better prepared for their future. We learned a lot from both of these events, and we also hope that the people who attended these events learned something new as well.

As women continue to step boldly into diverse roles within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), we are witnessing a profound transformation that promises lasting benefits for society as a whole. With the increasing representation of women in these vital fields, we can expect a surge in innovation that not only addresses the historic biases but actively works to dismantle them. This growing presence drives significant economic advancement while also fostering breakthroughs that challenge the pervasive research biases that have too often placed women on the sidelines of scientific inquiry. Traditionally, medical studies and other critical research have dominantly focused on male subjects, neglecting the unique health and safety needs of women. However, the tide is turning; now more than ever, the contributions of women are being recognized and prioritized, ensuring that the solutions developed are safer and more effective for everyone.

Moreover, the evidence is clear: organizations that embrace gender-diverse leadership not only thrive but excel in profitability and productivity. Studies show that when women's representation in leadership roles surpasses 30%, these companies are markedly more likely to financially outperform those with less diverse leadership teams. This correlation speaks volumes about the strength and potential that comes from inclusivity, reinforcing the idea that diversity breeds success.

Crucially, as young girls witness more women achieving remarkable successes in STEM fields, they are infused with inspiration and motivation to follow in their footsteps. The visibility of female role models encourages the next generation of young girls to pursue their dreams in STEM and break down barriers that have held many back for too long. Together, we can champion an environment where future innovators, inventors, and leaders feel empowered to make their mark in a field that is richer for their contributions. Let’s create a world where the brilliance of women in STEM is not just recognized but celebrated, ensuring that every girl can see herself as a pioneer of tomorrow.