I am thrilled to be joining the team as an Autonomous Test Manager. It is an honor to be part of a diverse group of innovators at Blue White Robotics that shares my passion for autonomous vehicles and robotics.
I completed my Bachelor of Science in Engineering at San Francisco State University and have always been intrigued by how technology has revolutionized our daily lives. For someone that’s been at the front lines of this technology, I am still amazed at how autonomous technology can be applied to achieve safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
My admiration towards autonomy began when I started as an Operation Specialist for Google X, the Moonshot Factory – now known as Waymo, maintaining and operating autonomous vehicles on California public roads collecting data. It was amazing to see firsthand how this technology has advanced and grown. We began with them driving autonomously down simple roads, and now these machines are avoiding obscured pedestrians and cruising along freeways. To get to that point, I helped create numerous structured test case scenarios that our autonomous systems could learn and adapt from. Working alongside engineers, these scenarios helped our vehicles become more equipped to handle complex situations they may encounter on the road.
Then, in 2018, I joined the Toyota Research Institute team where I was able to continue testing various scenarios and help lead a team that evaluates the safety of autonomous features and vehicle operations for our driving team. In much the same way as in my previous experience, I was able to continue testing scenarios that enabled our California team to evaluate the safety of new autonomous features and software that was to be used on closed courses and public roads.
I currently reside in the Central Valley of California and take joy in going on road trips and off-road trails where paved roads are not in plain sight, usually accompanied by friends and enthusiasts alike. This form of personal enjoyment also allows me to practice my new hobby, taking still photography and aerial photos of scenery and events in my spare time. Always improving autonomous systems at work leads me to continuous tinkering with my own vehicles and finding opportunities to perform my own maintenance and improvements.
I am excited to be part of a team that is taking autonomous applications to a new level, revolutionizing agricultural technology for the better.