"My first outreach event was for MATE in 2017. Since then, I have developed a passion for outreach and have had the opportunity to teach robotics to over 17,000 students through hands-on STEM workshops, tech-talks, and presentations."
What year(s) did you participate in the MATE ROV Competition?
2017 & 2018
What was the name of your MATE ROV team(s)?
Team Screwdrivers
What is your favorite MATE memory?
In the 2018 Competition, our ROV broke down and I was solely working on it to fix it. When it was back in the pool for the Secret Mission, winning the Engineering MVP and Flying Fish was my favorite memory!
Share something you learned by participating in MATE.
I had limited microcontroller and programming skills before the MATE ROV Competition in 2017. I was able to upskill myself immensely with the various hardware and software packages. Additionally, I was able to step outside my comfort zone and gained immense exposure working under pressure and delivering. I also gain experience in systems engineering - reading the competition manuals, defining the problem, breaking it down for system requirements and starting the engineering process followed by troubleshooting, tweaking, verification, and validation. These were all skills that I was not taught during my undergrad and have helped me to become a better engineer.
What does MATE mean to you?
My robotics career started with the MATE ROV Competition in 2017. Since then, I have been able to use the skills through various competitions and professional projects. I started with MATE and have been able to expand my skills and experience to Space. In November 2022 I was responsible for designing the control board, command and control, and led all operations of BioX2 payload. My first outreach event was a part of MATE outreach in 2017. Since then, outreach has become my passion and I have had the opportunity to teach robotics to over 17,000 students through hands-on STEM workshops, tech-talks, and presentations across schools, universities, science-centers, community engagement events, and more.
What advice do you have to offer currents MATE participants?
Failures are truly learning opportunities to reflect and work upon. The entire competition process is very similar to a real-life problem at a scaled level. Use MATE as a building block to prepare yourselves for actual life opportunities be it engineering or life-skills. I was able to use the entrepreneurial format of the competition in my startup Ignite Labs during the pandemic to build equipment for hospitals.
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
I will be starting to work for NASA JPL in the summer. My role as a Robotics Engineer will be designing probes for Extreme Environments of Space - Mars, Ocean Worlds and beyond. Additionally, I plan to continue my STEM outreach and impactful projects that help improve the quality of life of humanity.
Feel free to share any other information about your experience.
I designed and manufactured life-saving robots and automated machines during the COVID-19 pandemic. See here.
Recently, I have been working on an Avalanche Early Warning System for vulnerable mountainous communities in Central Asia and this project has the potential to impact 1mn + population severely impacted by climate change. See here.
Current Employer:
Planetary eXploration Lab/Space Systems Design Lab at Georgia Institute of Technology
Current Title:
Graduate Research Assistant
