The Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy will host a book signing at Chaucer’s Books in Loreto Plaza, 3321 State St., from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 in celebration of author Neal Bascomb’s latest release, The New Cool.

Bascomb, a New York Times bestselling author and author of Hunting Eichmann and The Perfect Mile, followed the DPEA Robotics Team 1717 in 2009 — the team’s most challenging year.

His book begins with the January release of the competition and continues through to the world championship. Written as “a sports saga for the 21st century,” The New Cool chronicles the group’s struggle, both with their robot and their team, highlighting personal stories and weaving them into the tale of an international competition.

Though written before Amir Abo-Shaeer, the DPEA director, teacher and robotics coach, became the first high school teacher to win a MacArthur “Genius” Grant, the book offers a glimpse into his early efforts in educational reform, as well as the institutional challenges he overcame simply to get his program started.

Members of the 2009 Team 1717, along with Shaeer, will be at Chaucer’s, signing books and showing off their competition robot. Current team members will be on hand to talk about their recent experience at the FIRST Regional Competition in San Diego.

Please plan to bring a friend and consider purchasing a copy of The New Cool to donate to a local school or public library.

— Noah Connally is a student in the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy.