Engineering & Technology
Robotics Engineer
 Peter Abrahamson 9 April 2003
Peter Abrahamson designs robotics and robotic special effects for the television and film industry. Read how watching movies as a kid and competing at BattleBots paved the way for a really cool career!
Ayanna Howard 16 August 2002
Dr. Ayanna Howard, Ph.D., is a robotics engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. At 11 years old, she was inspired by the television program, "The Bionic Woman" to enter the field of robotics. Read about this "dream come true"!
Greg Munson 5 May 2018
Greg co-founded BattleBots with his cousin Trey Roski. He built his first robot, LaMachine, in 1995 and was hooked on the sport! In his interview he mentions several other builders and robots by name. Find out more on Google and YouTube!
John Remar 15 May 2018
John Remar met his best friend because they shared the same Learning Disability: Dyslexia. For the past 20 years, they have shared the same passion: BattleBots.
Andrea Suarez 2 June 2018
Andrea Suarez is the builder and Team Leader of the BattleBot known as Witch Doctor. She has been competing in combat robotics for 15 years and works as a biomedical engineer, creating medical devices and implants.
Paulo Younse 21 June 2015
When we first interviewed Paulo nine years ago, he had not been working very long at his dream job as a mechanical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In this new interview, he talks about many of the many adventures that came about for him as a result of his job (which he still loves).
Rachel Zimmerman Brachman 5 June 2015
Rachel always had an interest in engineering and the sciences. At the age of 12, when she was only in 7th grade, she invented a special device for the disabled. Today, she works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she shares her passion for the solar system and technology with students and the general public.
Electrical Engineer
Kevin Caruso 13 March 2004
Kevin Caruso is an electrical engineer and pilot. He is also a space enthusiast and a NASA Solar System Ambassador from Illinois.
Propulsion Engineer
Dean Davis 4 April 2003
Dean Davis is a rocket scientist. Do you have the "right stuff" to become a rocket scientist too? You might! Find out what things you can do now to prepare yourself for an exciting and challenging career like Dean's.
Paul Woodmansee 4 June 2003
Paul Woodmansee is a "rocket scientist" or more accurately, a propulsion engineer. Imagine working on something that will carry a spacecraft to someplace like Mars! Find out what subjects gave Paul trouble when he was a student and what strategies helped him through.
Software Engineer
Roger Herzler 28 June 2002
Roger Herzler is a software engineer and amateur astronomer in San Diego, California. He builds his own telescopes and maintains a website full of astronomy links!
Larry Kellogg 28 June 2002
Larry Kellogg was in the US Navy for 15 years. He is now a computer expert at NASA's Ames Research Center and has worked on space missions such as Pioneer and Lunar Prospector.
Michelle Mock 25 January 2003
Imagiverse co-founder Michelle Mock had a 10-year career at NASA's Deep Space Network and after 9 years in the computer programming field switched gears to raise a family and return to her original dream of a career as a teacher.
Computer Graphics
Dan Maas 5 November 2002
Dan Maas is a computer graphics artist, whose credits include creating NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers animation. He also started his own company while still in his teens.
Karen Nugent 31 August 2004
Karen Nugent began her work in graphics arts designing video games. She most recently worked as a painter on Disney animated feature films. In her "spare" time she works as an instructor trainer in CPR/First Aid for adults, children, dogs and cats and Emergency Response for disasters.
Kees Veenenbos 5 October 2003
Kees Veenenbos is a web content manager in The Netherlands. His hobby is making artistic renderings of what ancient Mars might have looked like. Kees' artwork has accompanied scientific articles, and has been presented at various scientific conferences.
Robotics and Technology Mentors
Michael Bastoni 5 August 2002
Michael Bastoni is a high school shop teacher and robotics instructor in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He did not enjoy school very much when he was growing up, but he is passionate about education and making learning REAL for his students.
Steven Dworetzky 19 August 2003
Steven Dworetzky teaches middle school robotics in the Los Angeles Unified School District. He developed the Mars Exploration Rover Robotics Education Project and uses many fun techniques to spark the imagination of his multicultural, multilingual classroom.
Jason Morrella 17 August 2002
Jason Morrella is a Regional Director for FIRST Robotics. He teaches a FIRST Robotics class for grades 9 through 12. Read more about the program called "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology".
Evelyn Torres-Rangel 26 July 2002
Evelyn Torres-Rangel is a high school computer programming instructor and robotics mentor. Find out more about BotBall by reading her interview.
Wendy Wooten 2 September 2002
Dr. Wendy Wooten, Ph.D., teaches high school Physics and Robotics. Her curiosity to understand how things work motivated her to get a Ph.D. in biological chemistry and physiology. Find out what type of students she remembers through the years and what motivates her to keep teaching ... and learning.
Industrial Design Engineer
Doug Walker 29 November 2003
Doug Walker is an industrial designer. He invents or helps design new products. Most of his designs have been for medical devices but next time you mop the floor or slice a bagel, you might be using one of Doug's inventions! |
