David Thompson, FRC 2486
KEYNOTE
Dave started his career working as an oil exploration geophysicist in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil before moving to Flagstaff, AZ and becoming a physics, engineering, oceanography, and geology teacher for 21 years at Coconino High School. He was named National Science Teacher of the Year in 1999. He initially got involved with FRC in 2007 after being approached by former U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick. He has been the lead mechanical engineering coach of 2486, the CocoNuts, since 2008. He is currently retired and living in Flagstaff, enjoying working with the CocoNuts, working as the co-partner for FTC in Arizona, and spending time outdoors.
2025 NEMC Presentations:
Odeum A/B
Saturday
2:30 PM
KEYNOTE, STREAMING ON FUN
Make Impact Your Own: The CocoNuts' Hall of Fame Story
Join FRC 2486, the CocoNuts from Flagstaff, Arizona, as they share their inspiring journey to becoming a Hall of Fame team. With a mission to make STEM accessible across Northern Arizona, especially with the Diné (Navajo) Reservation in their backyard, the CocoNuts made their Impact with resiliency, passion, and dedication. Learn how they empower not just students, but entire communities, by delivering Arizona FIRST Tech Challenge, supporting FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Robotics Competition teams statewide, and advocating for STEM at both the state and national level. Discover their groundbreaking initiatives like the “También Lo Puedo Hacer (I Can Do It Too)” STEM fair and the RezBotics program on the Navajo Nation, which brought indigenous robotics teams to life and hosted the first all-indigenous robotics tournament. This keynote will inspire you to make your own unique impact in FIRST and your community, in ways that are meaningful and measurable.
.png)
