This spring, Irvine Lab postdoctoral researcher Holly Coleman stepped outside the lab and into the world of competitive robotics—volunteering at the 2025 San Diego Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. The event, part of the global FIRST Robotics program, brings together high school teams from across the region to design, build, and program industrial-sized robots to compete in high-energy challenges.
Held at UC San Diego and hosted by FIRST California, the tournament isn’t just about robots—it’s about teamwork, mentorship, and inspiring the next generation of engineers and scientists. Holly played a hands-on role in helping the event run smoothly, offering support, encouragement, and her scientific expertise to students pushing the boundaries of creativity and problem-solving.
📸 Photos from the tournament below.
🎮 Learn more about the tournament
