2017-2018 Administration

Kenneth Ricks
Faculty Advisor
Associate Professor. Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Subsystems: Runs the place
• Has a Chili Pepper on RateMyProfessor.com
• "Old" and "Mean" -Dr. Ricks

Max Eastepp
RMC Team Lead
Junior

• 3rd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: All
• Has the cutest kitten in the world

• Also known as RadioShack

Rebecca Dietz
Systems Engineering Lead
Senior

• 3rd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical

• Bucket list includes being knighted and learning to fly

Jonathan Blake
Electrical Lead
​Sophomore

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical, Software
• Built a quadcopter in high school
• Has no time for crosswords puzzles anymore :(

Spencer Davis
Software Lead

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical, Software
• Has an oscilloscope in his bedroom

• Also known as "The Donald"​​

Drake Taylor
Mechanical Co-Lead
​Junior

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical
• Loves to wear the same shirt multiple days in a row

• Plays guitar and banjo with mediocre skill

Gordon "Bracken" Jones
Outreach Lead
Junior

• 3rd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical and Mechanical
• 'Burned' by the Team Lead

• Somehow Outreach Lead

Blake Heimann
Marketing Lead
Freshman

• ​1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• ​Subsystems: Mechanical
• Most Efficient Marketing Lead Ever 

• Only Marketing Lead Ever

Annie Hubbard
Logistics Lead
Sophomore

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical, Mechanical and Logistics

Curtis Mitchell
Mechanical Co-Lead
Junior

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical

​RJ Porter
Safety Lead
Senior

• 4th Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical
• An avid podcast listener
• A novice archer​​

Alison Varner
Social Media Lead
Junior

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: ​Electrical
• Member of UA's Club Volleyball team
• Biggest accomplishment: being a Dr Pepper brand ambassador

2017-2018 Team Members​​

Mason Adolfs
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical
• Was President of high school's Science National Honor Society
  
• Survived a confrontation with a black bear

Watson Anderson
​Junior

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical

• Vice President of the Alabama Ultimate Frisbee Team
• ​Member of the ARES payload team

​Mason Blanke
Sophomore​

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical
• Has thought about playing the trombone

• ​Grace Spotswood can't keep a secret​

William T. Bounds
Senior

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: ​Electrical
• I dye my hair
• ​Joe Flacco is elite

John Botterbusch
Sophomore

Jacob Child
Sophomore

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics

• Subsystems: ​Mechanical
• Holds several leadership roles at Bama Catholic

• ​Plays the trombone

Zachary Diethorn
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
  
• Subsystems: ​Mechanical
  
• Had a job as a paint ball target zombie
  

• ​Was born in Texas but lives in Pittsburgh

Corey Edwards
Junior

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical
• Was born yesterday but has been up all night

• ​A black bear once survived a confrontation with me​

William Egbert
Sophomore

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics

Albert Gabberty
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics

​​Cara Greenley
Senior

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
  
• Subsystems: ​Mechanical
  
• I can play the piano
  
• I know every line to the movie Hot Rod by heart

​

​​Bailey Gulsby
Sophomore

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics

• Subsystems: ​Software
• Has been in a rodeo before
• Likes cooking

Daulton Guthrie
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical​
  
• Can solve a Rubik's cube in 20 seconds
  
• ​Has been to Europe

Emily Kabalin
Sophomore

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
  
• Subsystems: Logistics
  
• Performed an opener for John Legend and Keith Urban
  

• ​On the Alabama Club Rowing Team​​

Christiana Kandra
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics

• Subsystems: Mechanical
• Could fly a plane before she could drive a car

• Related to a former president of the Philippines ​

Joseph Layton
Junior

• ​1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics

Madison Macaulay
Junior

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrbotics
• Subsystems: Software
• Once worked at Disney World

Laura Malis
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
  
• Can burp the ABC's
  
• Can fit two rolls of sushi in my mouth at once

Matt Mason
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics

• Subsystems: Software and Electrical
• Loves to play piano

• Once rode a roller coaster 25 consecutive times in less than 4 hours​

Mason McVicker
Freshman

• ​1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Software, Electrical
• Likes rock climbing
• Can speak Spanish and is learning German

Tommy O'Brien
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
  
• Subsystems: ​Software
  
• Also enjoys theatre
  
• ​From Maryland

Savannah Olmstead
Sophomore

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: ​Electrical
• Diehard Denver Brancos fan

• Aspiring patent attorney

Matthew Petry
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: ​Electrical
• Knows how to make solid rocket fuel

• Rides electric scooter around campus

Jarod Robinson
Sophomore

• ​2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics

• ​Subsystems: Mechanical and Electrical
• Loves Physics
• Pretends to be athletic

​Sean Sawaya
Freshman

• ​1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics​

​Collin Smith
Freshman

• ​1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics

Kelvin So
Freshman

• ​1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical
• Nationally ranked in Clash of Clans
• Learned guitar to get girls

• Update: Has not gotten any girls with a guitar yet

James Steinman
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical
• I can play the trombone

• I have a twin, he's right below me

Joseph Steinman
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical
• First year on team

• I have a twin, he's right above me

Grace Spotswood
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
  
• I played volleyball for 9 years
  
• My sister and I plan to get our father a puppy for his birthday​

Alison Varner
Junior

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: ​Electrical
• Way too busy to be witty here
• ​Not really that witty anyway

​​Brian Walker
Sophomore

• ​2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical
• Thinks dragons are cool
• Wants to learn how to sword fight

​​Mathew Ward
Sophomore​​

• 2nd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical
• Water Polo Player
• Works for Athletic Department

​Jake Webster
Graduate Student

• 6th Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Everything
• A jack of all trades in engineering
• Not a big football fan

McKenna Willey
Freshman

• 1st Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: ​Mechanical
• Is Willey funny
• ​Does not like eggs, eats them anyways

Alex Wilson
Junior

• 3rd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Electrical and Logistics
  
• Certified Pilot
  
• ​Volunteer Firefighter

​​Tyler Zell
Senior

• 3rd Year on Alabama Astrobotics
• Subsystems: Mechanical