Robotics has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years. Serra Robotics Club members are thrilled with their state-of-the-art workshop on campus in the old bus barn.

In 2009, the team worked from a garage owned by engineer mentor Michael Worry, who founded the team with the help of his nephew, Nolan McPeek-Bechtold ’10. Today, the new Padre Robotics shop is stocked with quality tools. Robotics Club members found an old Rockwell drill on Craig’s List with a true spindle and chuck. They hope someday to acquire a mill and metal lathe.

Under the direction of Serra teacher Michael Patterson, the Padres are committed to student-designed and student-built robots. For months, students have practiced design challenges to develop a collaborative process of identifying requirements, design features, performance features and the elements and dimensions of an engineered CAD design.

Coach Patterson sees documentation, clearly defined student management roles and contributions by all team members as the hallmark of this year’s team. Serra has partnered with Mercy as members of SWAT Robotics (Students Working to Advance Technology). SWAT team members will compete in the Sacramento Regional FRC FIRST Competition on March 31 and April 1 at UC Davis.

“What makes a great team isn’t simply a matter of excellent coaching, hard work, talent, brains for the game and luck,” Coach Patterson said. “Unpredictable variables come into play: the coherence of team personalities, the adherence to sound practices, the sense that each member has of his own meaningful contribution and the buzz of the crowd rooting for the team.”

In December, retired mechanical engineer Reid Kowallis and Robotics students transformed the bus barn into a bustling workshop. Software engineer Mohan Krishnan (the father of Vasanth Mohan ’09) helped the team to switch software platforms from LabView to the student-friendly language of JAVA.

Last year, Serra’s national competitive robotics team, Team 3045, won the Rookie Inspiration Award at the Silicon Valley Regional Championship. David Whitney, Serra alumni parent and husband of Board of Regents President Laurie Whitney, worked with the team on a seven-week robotics workshop in the fall. The Padres won first place in the Madtown Throw Down in Madera last November

“There is a sense of healthy competition with Robotics,” said senior Yuzo Ishikawa. “We’re not just a bunch of nerds making random robots. We feel proud of our school when we win competitions. Science really can be fun!”