• About Us
  • Background
  • Instructors
  • Sponsors
  • Jay Pinson
• News
• Courses
  • Hands-on High Tech
  • Introductory
  • Advanced
• Registration
  • Introductory
  • Advanced
• Galleries
• Contact

Instructors—Introductory: TECH I
John Crump is the former television host and producer of Silicon Valley Report on KTEH, where he was responsible for weekly news and analysis of the major events in Silicon Valley and other technology regions. In the 1980s he was a news reporter, mostly covering technology stories for KNTV. His academic background includes BAs in Journalism and in History. Mr. Crump has a passion for helping students see technology's cutting edge,  so they may better envision solutions to challenges in their future.

Gerard Cruz holds a Masters Degree and teaches at both the high school and college level in the area of liberal arts. Being a person of diverse interests, Mr. Cruz was also a founding advisor for the Fremont Christian High School FRC - FIRST Robotics Competition. Mr. Cruz led Team 4432, Solista Lite, in 2011 in the FTC-First Tech Challenge.

William Dehart, M.A.  holds a BS degree in Material Science and Engineering and a MA in Secondary Education with a focus on Mathematics. Working as an engineer in the semiconductor industry for more than 20 years, Mr. DeHart taught chess to elementary school students, and coached youth baseball, soccer and basketball. Mr. Dehart has taught Mathematics, Science and PE at Alsion Montessori Middle School in the Fremont area. Working with 7th, 8th and 9th graders, he sees the development of student intellect and understands the need for fundamental hands-on science education at younger ages.

Steve Lentz was one of the Tech Academy's original teachers of the Introductory course. His BA in Education featuring specialization in Sciences, Biology and Chemistry, was awarded after studies at CSU Fresno and Northern Arizona University. Mr. Lentz enjoys the Tech Academy program because of its project-oriented, small-sized, classes. He says, "We can mix the education with fun and creativity much more effectively with the summer format than in the conventional school year".

Matthew Miller is an experienced instructor presently teaching at Fremont Christian School. Mr. Miller holds a California Permanent Secondary Teaching Credential in the areas of Chemistry and Physics. Mr. Miller is also the advisor for Fremont Christian School's The New Race to Space team which kicked-off in Fall 2011 in partnership with Valley Christian San Jose and the Quest Institute for Christian Education.

Advanced Course Instructors
Armen Boursalian
Armen Boursalian is an Electrical Engineering student at San Jose State University, and is set to graduate in December of 2012. He has served as Lab Assistant for the Introduction to Engineering Course at SJSU, which incorporates robotics in the term project, as well as two years as Lab Assistant for the Advanced Robotics course for the Tech Academy. Armen is the President of Spartan AUV, an SJSU student organization currently working on an autonomous submarine for the AUVSI RoboSub competition.

Bakari Holmes teaches digital electronics at Gunn High School in Palo Alto.

Roger Hoyt, Ph.D.
Roger is a technology consultant in mass data storage and manufacturing with more than 25 years of professional and managerial experience, including positions with IBM Research and Storage Systems divisions, and Hitachi Global Storage Technology. He has regularly made presentations to middle and high school classes during National Engineer's Week, taught high school chemistry classes and advanced courses in the Tech Academy. He holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Illinois, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Physics from the University of California at San Diego.

Dr. Mallika Keralapura is an assistant professor in the Electrical Engineering Department, Dr. Keralapura pursues teaching and research in bioengineering. She believes a successful education should include not only include traditional learning but also multidisciplinary skills—for example the combination of mathematics, engineering and biology, which universities are increasingly emphasizing.