Mentors
An in-depth interview with each of PHRED's Amazing Mentors.
Tom
Q: What year did you start volunteering for PHRED?
A: I started volunteering with the very first PHRED team during the 2000-2001 school year.
Q. What area of PHRED do you Mentor (Software, Hardware, Electrical)
A: I have mentored all areas at one time or another. Currently I am the lead mentor.
Q: What do you like the most about PHRED?
A: I like creativity students put into their designs and I like the enthusiasm of student team members. It has also been great to see what PHRED team members eventually do with what they have learned.
Q: What have you done that supports the area of PHRED that you mentor?
A: I am pretty much self-taught in each of the areas. I did spend a couple years working with the Oregon State University Electrical Engineering program while I was teaching. My real background has been in teaching high school science including 12 years at Philomath High School.
Q: Where did you go to school?
A: I earned my BS degree from University of Oregon and my MS degree from Southern Oregon University.
Steve
Q: What year did you start volunteering for PHRED?
A: 2017
Q. What area of PHRED do you Mentor (Software, Hardware, Electrical)
A: Software
Q: What do you like the most about PHRED?
A: This program teaches loads more than simple robotics, engineering, or software. The ‘soft’ skills of collaboration, team work, task commitment, and gracious professionalism are far more useful in life
Q: What have you done that supports the area of PHRED that you mentor?
A: Former middle and high school math and computer teacher, state dept of education data management director, a national consultant on software and data management, electronics hobbyist
Q: Where did you go to school?
A: UC San Diego
San Jose State
California State University, Hayward
Dave
Q: What year did you start volunteering for PHRED?
A: 2014/2015
Q. What area of PHRED do you Mentor (Software, Hardware, Electrical)
A: Official PHRED Photographer and hardware
Q: What do you like the most about PHRED?
A: Working with the kids … especially mine.
Q: What have you done that supports the area of PHRED that you mentor?
A: Guide/mentor the mechanical design. Try to get the kids thinking about the next objective while they are finishing implementing the last objective.
Q: Where did you go to school?
A: University of Michigan