Role:
Tournament Manager and Head Referee.
Quick Facts:
∎ Largest K-12 Robotics Competition & Expo in the Bay Area.
∎ Rich Lyons and Tsu-Jae King Liu from UC Berkeley Spoke at the event.
∎ Event sponsors and partners included Omron, Blue Origin, USPTO, and PayPal.
∎ Presented Lyons with a recognition for his contributions and for speaking at the event.
Organizing One World at UC Berkeley was not just a professional milestone, but a deeply personal experience. The highlight was hearing Rich Lyons, the former Dean of Haas and a key figure in my academic journey, deliver a keynote that resonated profoundly with me. Lyons, who was serving as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the time, has since become the Chancellor of UC Berkeley. He spoke of the transformative power of education:
“You can’t be what you can’t see. Neither of my parents had a four-year college degree. Getting a Ph.D., becoming an academic, and living the life that I am now living, I could not see when I was your age… I promise you that as your education evolves you’re gonna see more and more pathways for yourself and that’s what we do, that’s when we are at our best as educators; we help you see futures for yourself that you can’t see yet”.
These words echoed my own aspirations to inspire and guide others through education, just as Lyons had done for me. His leadership and vision were pivotal in my decision to attend Haas, and having him speak at an event I helped organize was a powerful full-circle moment. Presenting him with an award for his contributions was an unforgettable honor, marking a rare intersection of personal inspiration and professional achievement.
One World was more than a competition; it was a dynamic intersection of education, technology, and community. Thousands of attendees witnessed cutting-edge robotics, while the Expo allowed students to engage with leading technology companies such as Omron, Blue Origin, and PayPal. The event also highlighted collaborations with government agencies like the USPTO and student organizations from UC Berkeley, including Berkeley Formula Racing and Space Technologies at Cal.
The event’s energy, marked by the enthusiastic participation of students and industry leaders alike, showcased the spirit of innovation that UC Berkeley embodies. From the competitions to the Expo, it left a lasting mark on everyone involved.
