Yosemite Pinedo

I would attribute much, if not all, of my success to my willingness to sit with uncertainty rather than running from it. Research, engineering, and particularly personal growth all involve a lot of ambiguity. There are many moments where projects and life in general are just really unclear, where we feel super stretched beyond what feels comfortable. I've learned that some of the greatest growth happens when you're just really willing to stay curious and just keep moving anyway, instead of waiting for the moment everything feels certain. I also attribute a lot of my success to collaboration and being willing to be open with others. Some of the most meaningful opportunities and ideas in my life have come from conversations, sharing knowledge, mentorship, and that interdisciplinary teamwork that I talked about earlier. I really believe that innovation becomes so much stronger when people are willing to communicate openly and build, rather than operate from fear or competition. More than anything, I think that resilience is less about always feeling competent, and more about being willing to continue despite that uncertainty.

The best career advice I've ever received was actually something I read a long time ago that I integrated into my career. It was this passage from a book talking about how real power is power with, not power over. It was from Dr. Martin Luther King's definition of power as the ability to achieve purpose and effect change, which later I discovered these leadership frameworks centered around collaboration rather than control. Anyway, it stayed with me, and it changed my views on success and leadership, especially in engineering and research. It meant to me that meaningful innovation rarely happens alone, and that real progress is built collectively rather than competitively.

Collaborate. That's the biggest advice that I have for them. Some of the best opportunities, ideas, and growth have come from collaborating. Ask questions openly, and when the questions come your way, make sure that you share your knowledge generously. With STEM, it's just so important. Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate.

I think one of the biggest challenges in my field right now, specifically for robotics engineering, is that it's experiencing a lot of gaps. Robotics is being applied to different fields and branching out into different types of areas right now. Since it's such a new area, there's not something that's so developed as many other areas of engineering. That's the biggest bottleneck for robotics right now - it's just so new. I think that's the challenge that is being presented right now, that it's just such a new pipeline for robotics.

Authenticity and collaboration matter the most, absolutely the most to me, both professionally and personally. I really care deeply about spaces where people feel respected and supported in their growth. I truly believe that the best work comes from people being honest with one another and genuinely wanting to learn from each other, instead of constantly just grasping for some sort of recognition or some sort of control over the environment. Outside of work, I have always been drawn to storytelling or comedy. I really love spaces where people can be fully themselves and express themselves, and I think those experiences really shaped the way that I approach leadership and relationships, just as much as my engineering and technical background have. Above everything, and above all, I really value authenticity. I think there's a lot of strength in being able to show up as your best self, instead of feeling pressure to become a version of yourself that just doesn't feel real.