Meet the Tech Instructors of the 2017 Hardware Accelerator

The Rev Hardware Accelerator brings together talented STEM-field students from regional schools to act as tech instructors to support the teams going through the intensive prototyping program. From computer science to engineering with a variety of creative backgrounds, this dynamic team supports their peers with their cutting edge skills and local knowledge. This peer mentoring system has a strong record of success in supporting the Hardware Accelerator program.

Xanthe Matychak, Assistant Director of the program, says the instructors increase the value of the program with their “depth of expertise in one or two areas and breadth of knowledge in many others.”
“They model a “can do” spirit and when asked to do something outside of their expertise, they respond with something like, ‘That’s something I’ve never done before but let’s figure it out together!’”

Meet this year’s tech instructor team:

Rose Agger: Rose just graduated with a masters in Electrical Engineering from Cornell. Rose has a unique creative background from an undergrad double majoring in film and neuroscience.

Ted Bauer: Ted is a rising Computer Science Junior at Cornell. Fun fact: Isaac and Ted go way back – after graduating from Ithaca High school, Isaac and Ted were roommates at Binghamton freshman year. They’re super excited to continue working together this summer.

Isaac Lawson-Huges: Isaac is a rising Electrical Engineering Junior at Binghamton who calls Ithaca home. Isaac will be working as an operations assistant this summer and envisions working with a startup post-college.

Brendon Jackson: Brendon is a rising Electrical Engineering grad student at Cornell. This is Brendon’s 3rd summer with the Hardware Accelerator, and each year he has been able to directly transfer his knowledge and passion to help other entrepreneurs.

Aaron Zufall: Aaron is a rising Senior majoring in Emerging Media, a hybrid Computer Science + Communications program at Ithaca College. On the team, Aaron is somewhat of a generalist, capable of bridging technology and communications or installing window vents.

So far, the tech instructor team is busy prepping for the teams to arrive by organizing the prototyping lab and creating training so the Hardware Accelerator teams will have a fresh and clean start. Stay tuned for updates as the tech instructors start meeting with the teams!

Stay tuned to the #HardwareAccelerator all summer on our website and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).