Alexandra Viezcas, a PrepaTec student, was named overall captain of the MechRams 9301 robotics team from the Chihuahua campus.
This designation makes her responsible for leading her teammates in competitions such as the qualifiers in Monterrey and Laguna in 2026, seeking a spot in next year’s FIRST Robotics Competition in the United States.
But it also makes her responsible for coordinating and fulfilling challenges such as the workshops and camps in which the team participates.
“Personally, one of the challenges I face is that sometimes the work I do isn’t visible,” says Alexandra, “but without that internal work, we wouldn’t be able to move forward. Being a captain means uniting the departments and getting everyone working for the common good.”
The FIRST Robotics Competition is one of the largest robotics tournaments in the world for students between the ages of 14 and 18. But since the world championship qualifying tournaments begin in 2026, MechRams must immediately fulfill off-season activities.
First woman to lead the robotics team
This week, the world celebrates International Women in Robotics Day. And at CONECTA, we took the opportunity to speak with Alexandra Viezcas, a fifth-semester student at PrepaTec and the first woman to be the overall captain of the MechRams 9301 team.
For her, Women in Robotics Day, celebrated every October 1st, means making women visible in an area where, she says, they were long ignored: “It’s a great step forward because before, when a woman said she was in robotics, people doubted what she was doing. Today, that’s no longer the case: our work is more recognized and visible.”
As the leader of MechRams 9301, a team made up of 35 PrepaTec students, Alexandra is tasked with coordinating different areas:
Mechanics: responsible for building the robot.
Programming: responsible for writing the codes that make the robots work.
Social Impact: dedicated to managing sponsorships, promoting community activities, and disseminating information.
“To other young women interested in the world of robotics, I want to tell them not to be afraid. They often have the ability, but they just haven’t taken the step. What others say doesn’t matter,” says Alexandra.
A Career in Robotics
Throughout her academic career, Alexandra has demonstrated a great passion for science. Her journey began in high school, when out of curiosity she joined the robotics workshop.
Since then, she has participated in regional, national, and world robotics competitions, excelling in each one.
“Being a captain is about uniting the team’s various areas and ensuring that we all work for the common good.”
For example, earlier this year, MechRams 9301 took first place in the FIRST regional tournament held in Monterrey.
This later allowed the team to qualify for the FIRST World Championship, held in Houston, Texas, thanks to MechRams 9301’s cumulative performance, as well as the evaluations of judges in previous competitions.
The robots designed, built, and programmed by the participants of the FIRST Robotics Competition must overcome various challenges.
Alexandra Viezcas of the MechRams team at PrepaTec’s Chihuahua campus works in the workshop with machinery surrounding her.
Alexandra seeks to motivate more people to take on leadership roles in STEM. Photo: Alissa Natalia Díaz Laija.
Motivating people to take on leadership roles in STEM
Alexandra acknowledges that these opportunities have been possible thanks to the support of Tec de Monterrey and the opportunity to have mentors who strengthen both her technical and leadership skills.
This has also given her the opportunity to motivate more people to take on leadership roles in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
“I tell other young women interested in the world of robotics not to be afraid. You have to take the plunge. What others say doesn’t matter.”
As happened just last August during AstroCamp 2025, a summer camp for girls and boys ages 7 to 12 held at the Tec Chihuahua campus and part of the official NASA ASTRO CAMP Community Partners program.
“The opportunities that Tec offers are unique. Not everywhere allows you to be part of a representative team, travel to competitions, or train in leadership.”
Source: conecta.tec
