Mentors

Jamie Fitzgerald has been working with the Dos Pueblos Robotics for three years now. He is committed to helping young people pursue careers in math, science, and engineering for a couple of reasons. First of all, he believes that there is an obvious lack of students pursuing these careers because they have the wrong idea about what it means to be an engineer, a scientist, or a mathematician. The media often glorifies athletes and movie stars, but not everyone knows what an engineer does. He loves to share with students what engineering does for them everyday, and what it takes to become an engineer. He also tries to share all of the benefits that come along with the career. He lets students know that anyone can be an engineer if they are dedicated, hard working, and enjoy problem solving. He also shares that he, himself, was a very nontraditional engineer and the reality that no matter where someone comes from or what their background is, they can share the same outcome as he did. Second, he believes that getting involved is very rewarding. Jamie says, "I feel like I have made a difference in the lives of some of these students. I know that only a few words can completely change someone's outlook in life both positively and negatively. Finally, I try to get involved and give back because of all of the people that helped me get here. I know that there were a few people in my life that made such a huge difference in my path that I owe it to the next generation to be that person in their lives."

Don Shelton graduated from UCSB with a B.S. degree in Computer Engineering. He interned at Raytheon during my 4th year at UCSB and then became a full-time employee after he graduated in 2006. His senior capstone project at UCSB was entitled the Holonomic Robot Bluetooth Environment project. The project involved engineering wirelessly-controlled Bluetooth robots whose positions and orientations were tracked by optical sensors and displayed in two dimensions on a graphical user interface. He is currently taking classes at UCSB toward a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Computer Systems Architecture and Machine Intelligence.

He became involved with robotics in the 2006-2007 school year. He says that It is amazing to be able to work with students who are so driven to help accomplish a common goal. The teamwork and collaboration that he witnesses in helping the students inspires him to attempt to implement that same environment at work. "The rapid pace at which work is done in the classroom with the students is credited to the great morale that comes along with their knowledge that their individual work is recognized by and is benefitting the entire group," he says.

Ryan Connelly graduated from UCSB in 2003 with a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering. His major coursework and research focused on high frequency analog, high speed digital, and communications electronics. His thesis work entitled "Wireless Signal Interface for Cryogenic Imaging Arrays" was sponsored by Raytheon under the direction of Dr. Stephen Long. As an undergraduate student he participated in several research opportunities. This undergraduate research included low temperature behavior of semiconductor materials testing heterjuction devices at cryogenic temperatures. In addition he led an electrical team in building a pico-satellite in conjunction with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory under the CUBESAT project.

Ryan Conolley started work with Robotics through the DPHS Engineering Academy mostly during the 2006-2007 school year. He says that "it has been a great opportunity to work with talented high school student who are motivated to put themselves in challenging situations and solve real-world problems." He also claims that it is challenging for the mentors as well because the robotics competition is completely new each year and that not only are the mentors needed to guide the students and provide instruction, but that they are trying to find the best solutions right along side the students. Conolley says that "Its a very rewarding experience and I am very grateful to be a part of it."

Martin Murray started working with the Dos Pueblos Robotics team in 2007. As a professional in the engineering community, he was very interested to learn about the program when it was introduced to him at a Science and Engineering Council meeting, presented by Amir Abo-Shaeer, the Engineering Academy program Director. Having worked together as engineers several years earlier, Amir followed up with him after the presentation to see if he would like to get involved as a mentor in the program.

Martin is amazed at the enthusiasm and dedication of the students. It is a wonderful program that allows students to learn about real life technical challenges, giving them a variety of practical experience involving team work, problem solving, and Solid Works 3D Modeling. He enjoys his participation, because he sees how the students really enjoy the work and are dedicated to it.

Martin comes to this area of California from England, where he worked as a mechanical engineer for a fire engine manufacturing company and a military tank testing company. He is also a member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.

In the last 20 years in Santa Barbara he has worked as a consultant to a variety of companies as well as having a long history with a local telephone products company. Currently, he is the Mechanical Engineer at ANTONE Wireless Corporation, and has been involved with the company from the ground up, dealing with all processes of a start up company. The research and development phase has given him valuable insights into creating things from concepts. In some ways, very similar to what the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy is doing. He looks forward to future participation in this most valuable program. It is an inspiring experience for students and professionals alike!

Ricky Paredes received his Masters in Science for Electrical Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2005. His coursework and research was emphasized on RF, Microwave, and Antenna Design. His thesis titled, Design and Analysis of a Low-Cost, Low-Profile, 2.4GHz Microstrip Receiver Front-End focused on effectively using 2.5D Method of Moments solvers, Matlab, and AgilentÕs ADS in antenna array, Microstrip filter, and RF amplifier designs. In 2004, he was nominated Outstanding Blended BS/MS Electrical Engineering Graduate Student.

Ricky held an internship in the Microwave Department at Raytheon EW in the summer of 2004. He received an offer the same year and began working full time upon his graduation and thesis completion in June 2005. Ricky is also an active officer for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers - Santa Barbara Chapter and coaches youth soccer for the Boys and Girls Club in Goleta and AYSO.

His first year mentoring for the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy FIRST Robotics program was in the 2007-2008 school year. He says, I am very grateful and proud to work closely with our talented and motivated future scientists and engineers. There is a general consensus that the number of science and engineering graduates have been declining due to the lack of interest in the major. It is a rewarding experience participating in a program that exposes high school students to this field through hands-on, real-world, teamwork oriented, robot building project.