This week’s interview is with Matt Dubberley.
Jessica Barton: What is your job title?
Matt Dubberley: Mechanical Engineer
JB: What does your work at LCOGT involve?
MD: In short: I have a pretty awesome job.
I turn big picture ideas and plans into a physical reality. This could be building a telescope mount or building a spectrograph. At LCOGT, this involves just about every topic that falls in the category of mechanical engineering: structural analysis, thermodynamics, statics, motion control, dynamics, physics, vibrations, design, etc.
I get involved in many other things once the design engineering work is done. This includes managing the processes of fabrication, assembly, design of experiments, testing, documentation, and deployment.
JB: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself - your education, interests, past work experiences.
MD: I was raised in Las Cumbres (a community in the Santa Cruz Mountains). Sometime around age 15, I started working for the LCOGT founder. My job was taking care of dirty jobs: Clearing hillsides of brush, feeding and babysitting burn piles, sweeping, organizing, demolition, construction, and moving things from A to B. Eventually, I worked my way up into machining/CAD work and helped build a large robotic telescope (Rainwater).
I went to UCSB then UC Berkeley for a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. At that point I put my education to use and became a professional cyclist. In 2005, I quit racing and started working full-time at LCOGT. At that point LCOGT was a small shop on Haley St. in Santa Barbara.
My interests include: rock climbing, kite surfing, mountain/road biking, running, surfing, skiing, kayaking, and traveling.
JB: What is a typical day at work like?
MD: I'll let you know when I experience one.
JB: What advice would you offer people wanting to go into the type of work you do?
MD: Surround yourself with smart people. Get good mentors. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. It's the fastest way to learn.
JB: Thanks Matt!