Jesús is a FIRST^® alum, a member of the 2023 Inspire the Future: FIRST® Educators Recognition Program cohort and now serves in a volunteer role as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Project STEAMex in Mexico. Project STEAMex is a non-profit that works with vulnerable communities through STEAM programs and specifically FIRST programs. In his role as COO, Jesús ensures that all programs are running smoothly, and he communicates with all departments to assist with their needs.  

In addition to this role at Project STEAMex, he is also a mentor to FIRST^® Robotics Competition team. He loves seeing the work their organization does from a holistic perspective, but also enjoys seeing the impact it is having on each individual student.  

Read more about Jesús and his passion for STEAM and FIRST below. 

FIRST Staff: What is the hardest part of your job?  

Jesús: Keeping track of all activities is a bit challenging, I used to rely on just remembering the things I had to do, it turns out it is not as effective as it might seem. I am starting to make it a habit to use Kanban boards to keep track of activities. 

FIRST Staff: How do you use STEAM skills in your everyday work/life?  

Jesús: It does not get more STEAM related than being a FIRST Robotics Competition mentor, but I’d say that STEAM teaches you to be more technical and precise when speaking and lets you work easier with other people. 

FIRST Staff: Can you share your thoughts on the impact of your personal/professional work in STEAM?  

Jesús: It is very impactful when you stop and think about how things have changed along the years and what started as a silly idea has now become a reality. 

FIRST Staff: Who is a “Person of STEAM” who inspires you?  

Jesús: Mark Rober. I admire his content and what he does to spread knowledge through his videos and most recently with his company Crunch Labs. I think it is changing the world for better by inspiring children to get involved in STEAM at an early age. 

FIRST Staff: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?  

Jesús: Sometimes fear of failure can hold you back, but failure is the best teacher. Take risks and be curious about the world, learn as much as you can. 

FIRST Staff: Do you have a message you want to share for students who are participating in FIRST today? 

Jesús: I am sure you love FIRST as much as I do, so be sure to make it available to everyone, everywhere.