Thread created automatically to discuss UFH Honoree: Aidan Francis Browne, Ph.D..
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Name: Aidan Francis Browne, Ph.D.
Date Honored: 09-30-2003
Years involved w/FIRST: 4
FIRST Team(s): UTC Hamilton Sundstrand Space, Land &, Sea &, Enrico Fermi High School (0175)
Role: Coach/Mentor
Quote: “You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’ ” - George Bernard Shaw
Bio: Aidan F. Browne has been honored as our fifth Unsung FIRST Hero for his unselfish contributions to FIRST and the FIRST community. He currently serves as a Systems Integration Engineer for Hamilton Sundstrand and resides in Enfield, CT. Aidan is a member of the Buzz Team #175 and underestimates himself as only being a Coach and Mentor - he heads up software and programming for the team. While it may not seem like any big task, Aidan takes his job on the team above and beyond. He serves as field coach for this Chairman’s Award team and is known for his strategies and techniques on the field.
Aidan has also done a lot outside of the Buzz team. At the New Hampshire and Connecticut Regionals this year, he helped teams with their autonomous codes until he lost his voice. He is also said to have stayed at both regionals until the pits closed to help assorted teams (long after most had left, including his own). His own students benefit from his mentorship, too - he goes the extra mile when dealing with any students. His mentoring skills are those to be admired.
Aidan’s favorite FIRST memory is one that we all look at as a feat: “My first FIRST season – at the 2000 National Competition – the pits had only been open for about 30 minutes. We were busy setting up our pit when one of our students frantically ran up to the pit. Out of breath, he panted: “Aidan… you have to come… quick… there’s this team… they don’t even have a crate… they wrapped their robot with cardboard and duct tape and shipped it… there are only three students and a father… that’s the whole team… they didn’t even bring any tools or anything… come on… hurry… we have to help them.” It was true: three students from a very small, rural mining town out West had heard about FIRST. They were so inspired by the idea of building a robot and competing they tried to convince their high school to let them have a team; when they were shut down; they did not give up – they convinced one of their fathers to let them enter and build a robot in his basement. They pieced together the money from local businesses and by each getting a second job. Since they had never been outside the state, they decided that their one competition should be the one at Epcot.” Aidan expresses a lot of admiration for this team: “They somehow built a very impressive rookie robot – and they did it using nothing by but hand tools. I will never forget the excitement that these three young men exuded. I can’t imagine how they pulled off their accomplishment against-all-odds – and did it with the biggest smiles I have ever seen. I will never forget them, their out-of-this-world motivation, or the gigantic impact that this little program called FIRST had on their lives.”
Aidan’s advice is very noteworthy. “Use the messages that Woodie Flowers delivers to you as guidelines for the way you live your everyday life. He is truly a great man who offers far better advice than I could ever hope to give. For instance, he often tells us: “Think until you make your brain hurt” – it’s his way of encouraging us not to give up just because challenges appear hard. Push your boundaries way past what you think they are – you will surprise yourself. Just don’t give up because you can’t figure something out – have the faith that if you keep trying at it, you will eventually solve it. And understand that you are supposed to make mistakes – people who do not make mistakes never learn. Be a learner. Whether it’s the gear ratio on your robot, or your algebra homework, or anything else you do not comprehend (including autonomous mode), don’t shy away from it – attack it as a welcome challenge until you understand it.”
“Lastly: really, really, really try to understand what Woodie is telling you when he tells you to practice “Gracious Professionalism”. To too many in the FIRST community it is becoming a catch phrase – don’t be one of those people. Act professionally. Be Gracious. Have fun.”
Excellent advice. Thank you and congratulations to Aidan F. Browne for being our fifth Unsung FIRST Hero - it is well deserved.
Nominated By: confidential
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