Jake Lee is a data science researcher in the Machine Learning and Instrument Autonomy group at the NASA/Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory. After earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science at Columbia University (‘19, ‘20), he joined JPL to continue applying state-of-the-art ML and DL methods to solve problems in the physical sciences. His current projects include the deep learning detection of methane plumes on EMIT, the calibration of weak gravitational lensing methodologies for the Euclid space telescope with deep generative models, and physics-informed ML for ion-specific electrode array signal retrieval. His past projects include onboard science instrument autonomy (OSIA) for the Ocean Worlds Life Surveyor (OWLS). He was recently a co-visiting lecturer for CS155: Machine Learning and Data Mining on behalf of Prof. Yisong Yue during 2023 Winter at Caltech.

Chris Sulzbach is our outreach mentor he helps us run our social media pages, website, and community outreach and works with our graphic design and marketing students.

Chris is always promoting our team within the local community. He was instrumental in having the local school district staff and local community leaders tour our robotics space on our kick-off day in 2019. He also helps us design most of our flyers and promotional materials. During the pandemic, he helped us transition to virtual Zoom meetings. In Spring 2022, he helped transition back to in-person and recruit mentors from Caltech and JPL. He is an alumnus of our team, having been on from 2015-2017. He is also a member of the John Muir High school engineering and environmental science academy advisory council. His involvement in it has helped to bring in more Muir Students. He also deals with administrative work like scheduling team meetings, sending out team emails, coordinating with mentors and parents, and working with outreach and graphic design students. At the end of 2023, he helped us transition to our new 2024 season build lab at the Jackie Robinson Community Center in Pasadena.

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John Smith is the director and founder of NEY (Neighbors Empowering Youth). He is also one of the main mentors of Team 2404. He is very much a father figure to the team members.

John has helped many youths with learning how to be a better dedicated person.

He has also helped us understand what being part of a FIRST team feels like. He makes it fun and worthwhile for the students to stay on the team. But even with all the fun, we learn at the same time how to work together with one another. He has devoted a great deal of time and a lot of money to our team.

Control and Dynamical Systems Graduate Student Researcher at Caltech. I am captivated by the unique way in which robotics combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science concepts to a powerful and unprecedented effect, and I am enthralled by the idea of pushing robotic capabilities to the brink of what is possible.

Control and Dynamical Systems - Computing and Mathematical Sciences Ph.D. Student Caltech.

Brian is a mechanical design engineer with 25 years of experience in fabrication, design, and engineering for the entertainment industry. Brian currently works as a Senior Design Engineer for LA Propoint, a full-service design/fabrication shop building Scenic Automation, Show Action Equipment, and custom Rigging solutions for Theme Parks, Museums and Theaters. Brian is a design lead handling concept development, 3D modeling, detailed design & drafting, technical writing & project documentation.

Brian received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Union College in Schenectady, New York before leveraging experience gained in the Machine Technology certification program at Fullerton College into a diverse career building and designing in nearly every corner of the entertainment industry. His areas of experience include animatronics for film & television, puppetry, custom touring stage equipment & scenery, theme park shows & parade floats, stage illusions, theatrical equipment and show action equipment.

Brian’s son Sam has been a member of Team 2404 since 2022 and Brian is excited to be joining as a Team mentor for the 2023-2024 season.

Bio coming soon.