Mentors
If a group of students are given the tools to build a robot, they will likely find a variety of different ways to build it. They may succeed, but even if they do, they will be bound to the same challenges of the past - after all, they wouldn't be the first in the world to build a robot. In order to get the full experience, they need to be able to speak with people who have done it before; they need to be able to speak with an experienced individual who is willing to reveal common problems and solutions to them, so that history is not repeated. They need a mentor.
ExpandFIRST is a unique competition in that it allows students to have mentors. A mentor is someone who has prior experience working with a specific technology. For example: when creating a new drawing of the robot, a mentor would be able to help the student using their past experiences. The student will be able to learn much more than if they had tried to solve the problem using online guides. The mentoring program helps to accelerate students' learning.
A mentor can be almost anyone: a parent, a former student who has moved to post-secondary education, or a professional already working in the industry.
The students of Team 1114 - Simbotics would like to extend their greatest thanks to all those who tirelessly gave so much of their time to help prepare us for the future. Thank you to all of our mentors!
In Memory of
Stephen Rourke
Lead Mentors
Geoff Allan
Years in FIRST: 10
Years on Simbotics: 10 (1 as a student, 9 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Strategy and Drive, Website, Engineering and Manufacturing
Occupation: Accountant
Education: Mathematics/Business Administration, University of Waterloo 2008
Karthik Kanagasabapathy
Years in FIRST: 15 (formerly with team 188, Woburn Robotics)
Years on Simbotics: 9
Position on team: Strategy and Drive, Controls and Programming, Website, Awards
Occupation: Systems Analyst
Education: Pure Mathematics, University of Waterloo 2005
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award: Waterloo Regional, 2005
Greg Phillips
Years in FIRST: 10
Years on Simbotics: 10
Position on team: Lead Teacher
Occupation: Technical Director & Teacher at Governor Simcoe Secondary School
Education: Technology Education, Buffalo State College; Certified Iron Worker
Sub-team Mentors
Jeff Beckett
Years in FIRST: 8
Years on Simbotics: 8 (2 as a student, 6 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing
Occupation: Warehouse Manager
Education: Manufacturing Engineering Technician, Mohawk College 2010
Ben Bennett
Years in FIRST: 6 (formerly with Team 2166, Appleby Robotics)
Years on Simbotics: 3
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Electrical
Occupation: University Student
Education: Mechanical Engineering, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) 2011
Mike DiRamio
Years in FIRST: 7
Years on Simbotics: 7
Position on team: Controls and Programming, Electrical
Occupation: Mathematics and Computer Science Teacher
Education: Bachelor of Mathematics in Computer Science, University of Waterloo 2004
Brandon Pruniak
Years in FIRST: 7
Years on Simbotics: 7 (4 as a student, 3 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Electrical, Awards
Occupation: College Student
Education: Engineering, Niagara College 2013
Kate Radtke
Years in FIRST: 8
Years on Simbotics: 8
Position on team: Awards
Occupation: Supervisor at General Motors St. Catharines Powertrain
Education: Kinesiology, University of Waterloo 2004
Brent Selvig
Years in FIRST: 10
Years on Simbotics: 10 (2 as a student, 8 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing
Occupation: Tool & Die Maker
Education: Tool & Die Maker Apprenticeship, Niagara College 2007
Ryan Shaw
Years in FIRST: 6
Years on Simbotics: 6 (3 as a student, 3 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Electrical, Awards
Occupation: College Student
Education: Engineering, Niagara College 2013
Luke Visser
Years in FIRST: 7
Years on Simbotics: 7 (4 as a student, 3 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing
Occupation: College Student
Education: Welding, Niagara College 2012
Ryan Willick
Years in FIRST: 7 (formerly with team 1305, Near North Student Robotics Initiative)
Years on Simbotics: 5 (2 as a student, 3 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing
Occupation: College Student
Education: Millwright, Canadore College, 2012
Todd Willick
Years in FIRST: 9 (formerly with team 1305, Near North Student Robotics Initiative)
Years on Simbotics: 7
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive
Occupation: Engineer
Education: Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo 2009
Kyle Willick
Years in FIRST: 9 (formerly with team 1305, Near North Student Robotics Initiative)
Years on Simbotics: 6
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Controls and Programming, Electrical, Drive Coach
Occupation: University Student
Education: Mathematics, University of Waterloo 2012
Mentors in Training
Matthew Coffey
Years in FIRST: 6
Years on Simbotics: 6 (5 as a student, 1 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Awards, Marketing and Promotions
Occupation: University Student
Education: Concurrent Education, Brock University 2016
Stacey Willick
Years in FIRST: 9 (formerly with team 1305, Near North Student Robotics Initiative)
Years on Simbotics: 5 (4 as a student, 1 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Awards, Marketing and Promotions
Occupation: University Student
Education: Landscape Architecture, University of Guelph 2015
Alumni
Derek Bessette
Years in FIRST: 10
Years on Simbotics: 9
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Electrical
Occupation: Engineer
Education: Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University 2001
New team: Currently on Team 3571, Milton Mustangs
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award: Waterloo Regional, 2007
Peter Diakow
Years in FIRST: 9
Years on Simbotics: 4 (3 as a student, 1 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Alumni
Occupation: University Student
Education: Mechanical Engineering, Queen's University 2010
New team: Currently on Team 2809, K-Botics
Tyler Holtzman
Years in FIRST: 10
Years on Simbotics: 5 (2 as a student, 3 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Alumni
Occupation: Engineer
Education: Software Engineering, McMaster University 2009
New team: Currently on Team 2056, Orchard Park Robotics
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award: Greater Toronto Regional, 2010
Jeff Li
Years in FIRST: 9 (formerly with team 188, Woburn Robotics, and team 2505, The Electric Sheep)
Years on Simbotics: 1
Position on team: Strategy and Drive, Awards
Occupation: Account Manager
Education: International Bachelor's of Business Administration. Schulich School of Business at York University 2009
New team: Currently on Team 610, Crescent Robotics
Ian Mackenzie
Years in FIRST: 15 (formerly with Team 188, Woburn Robotics)
Years on Simbotics: 7
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Controls and Programming, 3D Modelling
Occupation: PhD Candidate
Education: Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo 2006; Masters in System Design Engineering, University of Waterloo 2008
New team: Currently on Team 3683, Dave
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award: Waterloo Regional, 2008
Adam McLeod
Years in FIRST: 9 (formerly with Team 188, Woburn Robotics, and Team 2505, The Electric Sheep)
Years on Simbotics: 2
Position on team: Strategy and Drive, Awards
Occupation: Analyst
Education: Bachelor's of Business Administration. Schulich School of Business at York University 2009
New team: Currently on Team 610, Crescent Robotics
Leigh Pauls
Years in FIRST: 6
Years on Simbotics: 4 (3 as a student, 1 as a returning mentor)
Position on team: Engineering and Manufacturing, Strategy and Drive, Controls and Programming, Electrical
Occupation: University Student
Education: Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo 2013
New team: Currently on Team 3683, Dave