Contact

URC-Announce List

Subscribe via the link below to receive all of the important URC announcements! This list is intended for current and prospective team members only.

https://groups.google.com/a/marssociety.org/group/URC-Announce/subscribe

About the URC Staff

The University Rover Challenge staff is an all-volunteer group.  If it takes us longer than you expect to respond to an email, or post an announcement, please be patient!

URC Senior Leadership

Kevin Sloan, Director

email: Kevin [at] MarsSociety [dot] org

Kevin Sloan holds B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, and an M.Eng. degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park.  He currently works in science and technology program management in the Washington, D.C. area. He previously served as the Commander of Crews 25 and 50 at the Mars Desert Research Station, and has been the Director of URC since its inception in 2006.

Andrew Duncan, Deputy Director

email: ADuncan [at] MarsSociety [dot] org

Andrew Duncan has a BSc and MSc in Electrical Engineering from Utah State University. His expertise is in electronics for hand-held spectrometers operating in extreme environments on Earth. He is also the lead engineer for sensors in development for the Lunar and Martian surface.  He was also a crew member for the NASA Ames Spaceward Bound Crew 54 at MDRS.

Darrel Robertson, Associate Director for Requirements and Guidelines

email: DRobertson [at] MarsSociety [dot] org

Darrel Robertson is currently working at NASA Ames on asteroid threat assessment. Interested in space exploration from a young age before earning a B.Sc.in Physics with Space Science and a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics.  MDRS crew 89 engineer and MDRS capcom since. Joined URC staff for 2012 season and greatly enjoyed being a site judge.

Melanie Hopek, Associate Director for Logistics

email: MHopek [at] MarsSociety [dot] org

A passionate science educator with a diverse background in sciences, Melanie Hopek earned her degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. Her diverse background includes work as a research assistant using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and experience as an Environmental Scientist. Melanie is the co-author of two patents in the organic chemistry industry, where she conducted laboratory research and toxicology studies. She currently works as an educator, inspiring the next generation of scientists at Rancho Solano Preparatory School.