Alumni Page

Michael Martinez FRC 4662 Bio 

I joined Team Byte Sized Robotics (4662) during freshman year of high school, initially drawn by an interest in robotics and working with my hands. What started as curiosity quickly grew into a passion for engineering as I became more involved with the team. During my 4 years in FRC, I gained experience across multiple areas including CAD, programming, electrical systems, and mechanical fabrication. I contributed to the design and construction of key robot mechanisms, including a belt-driven ball indexer system used to control and feed game pieces. As I developed my skills, I took on leadership roles, serving as Pit Team Captain where I led troubleshooting, battery management and repairs under competition pressure, and I was selected to be a member of the drive team my senior year. Through working with the team, my interests evolved from general hands-on building to a focused passion for engineering design and problem-solving. My experience in Byte Sized Robotics became the highlight of my high school years and directly influenced my decision to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Oregon Institute of Technology after graduating in 2022. I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering, where I have continued building on the technical and teamwork skills I developed in FRC through coursework in machine design, parametric modeling with SolidWorks, and electrical power systems & circuits. My experience with the team helped me secure an internship with OMIC R&D, where I gained real-world engineering experience where I have continued that relationship into my senior project, collaborating with OMIC on a machinability K-Factor research study. I credit FIRST Robotics & Byte Sized Robotics for shaping my educational and career path by providing early exposure to engineering, hands-on technical experience, and leadership opportunities. I believe programs like FRC play a critical role in helping students discover their interests, build confidence, and prepare for future careers. 

Robert Ohling FRC 4662 Bio 

I always like technical hands-on things. I was raised on Lego and Tinkertoys, and later model kits. We also had computers growing up, and I was drawn to the sandbox games that let you build.

I was part of the starting team (of Byte Sized Robotics then called Tribal Tech) in my freshman year of high school. We were interested in starting an FRC robotics team, and found enough students and teachers to get it kicked off. For the first three years, I was the captain of the Programming Team, although for my last year I took a back seat and did Photography instead. I also got to stick my fingers in the manufacturing enough to get a feel for building the frames and mounting equipment and their connections.

After high school, I attended the Oregon Institute of Technology along with several of my year’s teammates, as it offers a hands-on engineering education for multiple disciplines. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Renewable Energy. I received a scholarship from FRC to help me pay my tuition.  I graduated right in the middle of the Covid pandemic, so the job market was non-existent. I worked at a FedEx warehouse for one year before being hired on at Bradford Consulting Engineers as an Electrical Engineer, where I still work. FedEx tried to keep me on as a technician, but I wanted to work elsewhere.