SeaBears Make Waves at Maryland Competition

One year ago, in March 2025, a team of students from Dr. Karen Wendling’s Honors Physics class made waves at the regional SeaPerch competition in Philadelphia, earning first place in Pool Performance and second place overall with their remotely operated vehicles (ROV). Determined to build on that success, the now-seniors—Elisabeth Bailey, CeCe Dorn, Christina Flanagan, Naomi Goniche, Natalia Moraleda, and Hannah Turek—formed a SeaPerch club team (the MMA SeaBears) and continued their impressive run in 2026.

At the Maryland SeaPerch regional competition held at the U.S. Naval Academy, the team delivered another standout performance, finishing in the top eight out of 79 teams and advancing to the final round. Dr. Wendling recognized Hannah Turek for her skill as the ROV driver and praised the group for earning an almost perfect score in the Team Interview portion of the competition.

SeaPerch is an international program in which students design, build, and compete with their own ROVs, introducing them to essential engineering, design, and scientific concepts. Along the way, participants develop critical 21st-century skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and innovation.

On March 27, a new team of seniors from Dr. Wendling’s Honors Physics class will compete in the Philadelphia regional competition. Building on the momentum and high standard set by last year’s team, they will take on an increasingly competitive field with their own ROV design.