Andrew Parra
(aparra {AT} stanford.edu)
I am from UC Santa Cruz with a background in Computer Engineering, focused primarily in Robotics and Controls. My interests have always been in robotics, and I am now moving into Aerospace Robotics. In the past, I have done research in a variety of robotic heavy topics, including swarm theory and the micromechanical flying insect project at UC Berkeley. I am originally from Fremont, CA and have lived in the Bay Area my entire life. Outside of class, I enjoy photography and guitar, both of which I am new to and am trying to improve. This summer, I plan on working at Apple Inc. on the iPhone engineering team.
David Hoffert
(hoffert {AT} stanford.edu)
I am a first-year graduate student in the mechanical engineering department at Stanford. I completed my bachelor’s degree in May 2008 at the University of Wisconsin—Madison with a double major in mechanical engineering and computer science. I wanted to have a career in robotics since middle school, and am proud to have the depth of my master’s degree be in mechatronics. After completing my master’s degree coursework in December, I will continue at Stanford as a Ph.D. candidate. I am currently serving as a graduate researcher in the Dynamic Design Lab under the direction of Dr. J. Christian Gerdes, where his research centers on vehicle automation and driver assistance systems. In addition to my technical work, I am also a percussionist in both the Stanford Wind Ensemble and the Stanford Symphony Orchestra and am quite active in the Jewish community of the greater Bay Area.
Stuart Calder
(stuart.calder {AT} comcast.net)
I completed my undergraduate Mechanical Engineering degree at Boston University in May 2008. Since then, I have been focusing on control design and robotics at Stanford, and plan to graduate with my Master’s at the end of the summer. I’m new to the Bay Area, and sunshine in general having grown up in Scotland. I’m also interested in travelling, golf, skiing, and music, particularly bagpipes, in which I play with a pipe band who placed 4th in the World Championships last summer