Robert Whittlesey

Robert Whittlesey has over 13 years of work experience in the engineering field. From 2008 to 2013, they worked as a Ph.D. Researcher at the California Institute of Technology. Between 2013 and 2019, they worked at Exponent in various roles, including Managing Engineer, Senior Engineer, and Engineer. In 2019, they joined Bird as a Senior Technical Program Manager and Technical Program Manager. Robert's role focused on the in-house-designed scooters and bringing them to life through careful coordination with Asia-based manufacturing teams and US-based engineering teams. Robert also played an important role as an engineering consultant advocating and advising engineering solutions and led a standards group to bring scooter safety standard to US market (ASTM WK70724). In 2022, they joined Ion Storage Systems as a Principal Technical Program Manager.

Robert Whittlesey obtained a High School degree from Newport High School in 2004. Robert then attended the Illinois Institute of Technology where they earned a Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2008. In 2009, they obtained a Master's Degree in Aeronautics from Caltech and in 2013, they earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Aeronautics from the same institution. In addition, Robert Whittlesey has obtained certifications including a Registered Professional Engineer, Mechanical from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists in 2014, a SCUBA Open Water Certified from NAUI in 2010, and a Registered Professional Engineer, Mechanical from the New York State Education Department in 2021.