Central Coast Student Brings Flair for Robotics to UC Merced

By Seth Allen, UC Merced

August 13, 2024

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2024 semester.

After diving into robotics in high school, Antonio "Tony" Lopez-Blanc is eager to attend UC Merced in pursuit of a career that reaches for the sky. Lopez says he is "ready to learn, ready to work and ready to have fun."

Where I come from: I was born in Grand Rapids, Mich. After living briefly in Texas, my family settled in Hollister. I graduated from Hollister High School in San Benito County.

What I've done: I was a member of the California Scholarship Federation, the high school e-sports club and the robotics team, which was named Deep Space Robotics No. 6884. We designed and built robots to compete against clubs from across the U.S. We would pilot our robots through obstacle courses and make them lift or throw objects. In March, our team won an award for sustainability. Thanks to help from San Benito Robotics, we hosted community events such as park cleanups and summer camps where kids would build robots using Legos.

Why are you excited about coming to UC Merced? I'm glad I'll be close to home and can support my parents, but I'm really looking forward to a new environment on a brand-new campus. I also want to check out the UC Merced Robotics Society and the workshops they host on campus.

Academic and personal goals: My major is mechanical engineering with an emphasis in aerospace. I want to push my boundaries in the classroom with hopes of having a career that allows me to either repair or create. Personally, I want to make a bunch of connections and have a lot of cool experiences.

Early bird or night owl? Both. Late night grinder, early morning riser.

What do you do to relax?Hit the gym and pump iron or a take late-night cruise to my favorite songs.

Quotable: "Don't lose sight."

Brenda Ortiz