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TRETC 2025
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Panel: Gearing Up for the Future: Stories and Strategies from Robotics Teams
Monday January 20, 2025 11:15am - 11:55am EST
REA Auditorium
Gearing Up for the Future: Stories and Strategies from Robotics Teams

Panel discussion highlighting best pracitces from our region’s robotics team leaders and students.  
Questions: 
  • What specific skills do students gain from participating in robotics teams, and how do these skills translate to future careers or education?
     (Follow-up: Can you share examples of how students have applied these skills outside the team?)
  • How has being part of a robotics team influenced your academic and career aspirations or help you discover new interests or paths you hadn’t considered before?
  • How do you balance teaching technical skills like programming and engineering with fostering soft skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving?
  • In what ways do robotics teams help students understand broader societal and ethical implications of technology, such as AI, automation, or sustainability?
  • What challenges do robotics teams face in ensuring students are prepared for rapidly changing technology, and how do you address these challenges?
     (Follow-up: How do you stay updated with industry trends and incorporate them into team activities?)
  • What is your promise for the future? What are you most looking forward to for your robotics team as you look to the season ahead?


  • Panelists:
    David Yackuboskey, FIRST Robotics
A 2021 Innovation in Education Award winner, David has a passion for providing students formative opportunities through STEM education. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Landscape Architecture, David served as a 2012 Teach for America Corps member in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. In Dallas, David was introduced to FIRST Robotics and has been a mentor for the past 12 years. David currently serves North Catholic High School as the Lead Mentor for FIRST Robotics Team 5740, Physics Teacher, and Dean of Academic Affairs. David is excited to discuss how robotics programs can catalyze the evolution of education at TRETC 2025.
Sarah Withee, Girls of Steel
Candi Chen, ROGO

Anna Blake, Unified Robotics 
Anna teaches over 400 students from kindergarten to 5th grade each year the fundamentals of computer science and computational thinking as an Elementary Technology Integrator at the Elizabeth Forward School District. She has presented at both local and international conferences about computational thinking and Making in the elementary classroom over the past 5 years. She also sits on the Duquesne University Alumni Advisory Board and volunteers her time to help pre-service teachers prepare for their time in the classroom. In 2021, Anna received the Carnegie Science Center Award for "Most Inspiring Teacher." In addition to awards, Anna has written an Amazon book, "Capturing Creativity: 20 Easy Ways to Bring Low-Tech STEAM into Your Classroom" with her colleague, Melissa Unger. To purchase "Capturing Creativity" follow this link: https://amzn.to/3qB0nVr

Candi Chen, ROGO
Candi Chen has 25+ years of experience in Technology and Management Consulting in the U.S., Europe and Asia. She has been an active women in tech mentor since 1997 and embraced her role as a girls in STEM mentor in the last 10 years. She currently is a coach of two all-girl competitive robotics teams and a drone soccer team with the mission to inspire STEM to the next generation of problem solvers and leaders.

Tracy Smith, USC Robotics Club
Tracy Smith has been at Upper St Clair High School since 2003 where she started as a physics teacher.  Prior to teaching, she was a product engineer at Chrysler with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and a Master's Degree in Automotive Systems from the University of Michigan. In 2019, she started transitioning from teaching physics to helping grow robotics educational opportunities within the district.  Along with developing curriculum for three levels of robotics courses, Tracy has played a large role in the development of the USC Robotics Club.  This after school club has grown over the past five years to an enrollment of over 400 students this school year participating in FLL Explore (18 teams), FLL Challenge (11 teams), FTC (5 teams), and VRC (3 teams) competitions as well as K-12 non-competitive opportunities.  She credits the success of the growing program to the support and dedication of students, volunteer parent coaches and mentors, community members, school administration, local businesses and generous donors.  Tracy also helps facilitate the STEAM Pathway at Upper St Clair High School that encourages students to engage in STEAM opportunities through courses, career exploration, and experiential learning.  

Moderator: Jimmy Lin, Vex Robotics
Dr. Jimmy Lin is the Director of Computer Science Education at VEX Robotics, where he leads curriculum research and development with a specific emphasis on computer science education. A lifelong programmer, Dr. Lin is deeply committed to the significance of computer programming education. His work lies at the interaction of learning sciences, human-computer interaction, and computer science education. An important aspect of his work is the focus on designing environments and technologies to expand access to computing, aiming to include learners from diverse and historically marginalized backgrounds. One of his major contributions is to the design of Switch blocks which is used to ease the transition for students from block-based to text-based programming.
Moderators
JL

Jimmy Lin

Director of Computer Science Education, Vex Robotics
Dr. Jimmy Lin is the Director of Computer Science Education at VEX Robotics, where he leads curriculum research and development with a specific emphasis on computer science education. A lifelong programmer, Dr. Lin is deeply committed to the significance of computer programming... Read More →
Speakers
JL

Justin Lauffer

Student Showcase, North Catholic Robotics Team 5740 The Trojanators
ZH

Zahra Hossain

USC Robotics Student, Upper St. Clair School District
avatar for Anna Blake

Anna Blake

Elementary Technology Integrator, Elizabeth Forward School District
Anna teaches over 400 students from kindergarten to 5th grade each year the fundamentals of computer science and computational thinking as an Elementary Technology Integrator at the Elizabeth Forward School District. She has presented at both local and international conferences about... Read More →
avatar for David Yackuboskey

David Yackuboskey

AP Physics, Dean of Academic Affairs, FRC Team 5740 Lead Mentor, North Catholic High School
Speaker Bio: A 2021 Innovation in Education Award winner, David has a passion for providing students formative opportunities through STEM education. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Landscape Architecture, David served as a 2012 Teach for America Corps... Read More →
avatar for Tracy Smith

Tracy Smith

USC Robotics Club, Upper St. Clair School District
Speaker Bio:Tracy Smith has been teaching Physics at Upper St Clair High School since 2003. Last year, her courses grew to include robotics education. With a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and a Master's Degree in Automotive Systems from the University... Read More →
avatar for Maya Guizzi

Maya Guizzi

ROGO (Robotics Offering Girls Opportunities) Co-Captain, USC Robotics Outreach Coordinator, Upper St. Clair School District
SW

Sarah Withee

Lead Mentor, Girls of Steel
LT

Lily Tang

Girls of Steel Robotics
avatar for Candi Chen

Candi Chen

Lead Coach/Mentor, ROGO
Candi Chen has 25+ years of experience in Technology and Management Consulting in the U.S., Europe and Asia. She has been an active women in tech mentor since 1997 and embraced her role as a girls in STEM mentor in the last 10 years. She currently is a coach of two all-girl competitive... Read More →
Exhibitors
SA

Sofia Alfredson-Themudo

ROGO (Robotics Offering Girls Opportunities)
Monday January 20, 2025 11:15am - 11:55am EST
REA Auditorium
  Panel Discussion, Engage & Connect

Attendees (37)


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