Since retiring from UCSD in 2017, I focused my efforts on STEM activities at the middle school, high school and community college level, with an emphasis on aerospace. I am on the adjunct faculty of the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA where I ran a hands-on, project-based computer engineering workshop using Arduino, Raspberry Pi and the Nvidia Jetson machine learning platform. During the summer, we offered 2-week STEM / coding summer programs for middle and high school students. My current assignment is running our on-campus MakerSpace where I’ve developed the procedures, training, and workshops.
In addition, I am currently working with AMSAT (The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation) developing courseware for their cubesat simulator (cubesatsim.org). I’m adapting this material for use by SatNOGs and the Harvard Smithsonian’s Library Space Technology Network (lstn.wolba.ch). I also participate in high altitude balloon flights by Southern California STEM groups: ScienceHeads.org and Mt. Carmel High School. I build and fly amateur high-powered rockets with Tripoli San Diego, Rocketry Organization of California, and Reaction Research Society. I am also a member of the American Red Cross Disaster Services Technology and Situational Awareness teams.
Recently, I been privileged to have judged five Future Engineer challenges including NASA TechRise and Lunabotics Junior. I’ve also served as a NASA reviewer for STEM grant applications from science museums, planetariums and informal institutions. I’ve presented at the Satellite Educators Association’s 35th annual conference (California State University, Los Angeles, 2022) and at the SmallSat Education Conference (Kennedy Space Center, 2023 & 2024).
During my 13 years at UCSD, I was the senior systems engineer at the Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems within the School of Medicine. Our NIH funded programs investigated the effectiveness of wireless and mobile technologies in clinical applications. I coauthored numerous peer-reviewed published papers, typically contributing the technical sections. I was the key contributor to almost all of our NIH proposals and I presented at numerous yearly NIH review sessions in Bethesda, as well as representing our group at national and international conferences. Although I did not have classroom teaching obligations, I sponsored and mentored multiple undergrad and grad student computer science and engineering projects.
Before relocating to San Diego in 2003, I was a founding member of LiveSky Solutions, a wireless developer in Boston.
I was instrumental in the development of interactive multimedia and new media technologies. While in my last year of college, I founded Telematic Systems, a pioneering award-wining videodisc development firm commercializing technologies developed at MIT’s Media Lab for clients such as AT&T, Digital Equipment Corp, Ford, and General Motors. In 1987, as Vice President for Production at Interactive Media Communications, I lead the firm’s development and production teams in the creations of interactive multimedia training programs in the area of Industrial Health and Safety.
Throughout the 1990’s, as an independent new media producer, I collaborated with design firms, Internet companies, and film/video studios to create memorable, large-scale experiences which integrate computer, video and Internet technologies. My work has been installed at the California Science Center, National Scouting Museum, Liberty Science Center, Tennessee Valley Authority, Boston Museum of Science, Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of American History, Atlanta’s SciTrek museum, and at SportsLab.
Information about my previous careers can be found at my old, out-of-date website.
Fredric Raab 