Sorting Robotics, a provider of industrial automation technology for the cannabis industry, announce the appointment of Patrick DeGrosse Jr. as the company’s director of engineering.
Over nearly two decades as a senior mechatronics engineer for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, DeGrosse Jr. has led diverse technical teams towards putting robots on Mars across multiple flagship flight projects for NASA, including the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers and the Mars Sample Return Lander. In addition, he led the design of NASA’s FDA approved VITAL pneumatic ventilator during the pandemic, deployed at low-cost to multiple countries and providing life-saving technology to underserved populations.
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Today, DeGrosse Jr. is the third former NASA-JPL employee to join Sorting Robotics, after Nohtal Partansky, co-founder and CEO. He will spearhead the company's engineering efforts and bring added disruption to industrial automation within the cannabis industry.
“NASA-JPL trained an amazing engineer and technical manager, along with his exceptional track record and passion for pushing the boundaries of technology, it’s an exciting time for Sorting Robotics to be welcoming Patrick to its team,” said Partansky. “It’s important to have top-tier, precision-focused talent joining the industry to solve some of its biggest, toughest challenges. That said, Patrick will play a large role in our continued effort to optimize the cannabis industry’s value chain through automated robotics solutions.”
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"I’m excited to be a part of Sorting Robotics’ efforts in driving cost reduction and productivity enhancement for the cannabis industry. What the team has already accomplished is admirable, and I believe my experience at NASA-JPL puts me in a unique position to help solve a new level of challenges the cannabis industry presents to operators," said DeGrosse Jr..
As Director of Engineering, he will lead Sorting Robotics' engineering team in developing solutions that address the unique needs of cannabis manufacturers and processors. His appointment marks a significant milestone for Sorting Robotics as the company continues to expand its footprint in the growing cannabis market.
