UND leads the charge in competitive robotics

UND hosts VEX Robotics season opener at the Mall of America, engaging with and supporting next-gen engineers and scientists

On August 1-2, 2025, 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 mall-goers could stop their mid-shopping spree to watch robots whir, spin and score — and maybe even meet 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,” emphasized Dahlen. “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 across the world who tuned into the event livestream didn’t do so solely out of entertainment — but for strategy. “The VEX Robotics Nation is watching this event to discover effective robot designs and game play strategies which will evolve throughout the season.”

“New for 2025, the University of North Dakota Signature was planned, executed and ‘painted green’ by the UND College of Engineering & Mines,” explains Dahlen. Coinciding with UND championing this year’s tournament were other changes around the event. “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.”

Competing at the annual Mall of America tournament is a big deal for students — a premier opportunity to compete against some of the world’s best teams. With registration filling up in less than ten minutes, teams from around the country and world vied for a chance to compete — and for a shot at the most coveted prize: qualifications to advance to the VEX Robotics World Championship.

Three lucky teams snagged the fast-pass to the World Championship scheduled at St. Louis, Missouri, in 2026:

• Exothermic Burnout from Redmond, Washington (Excellence Award)
• Snacky Cakes from Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (Tournament Champions)
• Shanghai RuiGuan Team 9123C from Shanghai, China (Tournament Champions)

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’s 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 that 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.”

Follow us on Instagram @undengineering for more photos and videos from the event!

Aside from the robot action, there were opportunities for participants, spectators and mall goers 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 leading 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 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.”

“This event allows us to connect with students who are not just interested in STEM, but are actively living it through the robotics competition,” explains Chad Frost, Director of Outreach, Recruitment, and Career Development at the College of Engineering & Mines. “More importantly, it positions the college as the engineering college aligned with competitive robotics in the Upper Midwest.” Hosting this high-level event 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.”

Over 1.1 million kids are involved in the VEX Robotics program, with most of that next-gen workforce already immersed in the industry’s challenges and interests. 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. I am so excited that there is going to be a whole slew of engineers coming from this event.”

During a mid-event interview with The Manufacturing Millennial, Dahlen addresses the power of bringing these students together at the Mall of America with regional industry leaders and educators. “We want the trifecta. We want educators, private sectors, and students to know that there are so many opportunities out there. One in three engineering jobs goes 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 over 120 volunteers who have put in time and energy 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 in on 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 January 9-10, 2026.

Written by Paige Prekker  //  UND College of Engineering & Mines