LEADERSHIP MEMBERS 🔌
Luis Arias
Mechanical Integration Lead
Luis Arias leads the Battery Workforce Challenge mechanical team as a senior Mechanical Engineering student. His passion for Formula 1 inspired him to pursue a career in engineering, with particular interest in the automotive, motorsport, and aerospace industries. A graduate of Esperanza College Prep where he learned folkloric dance, Luis found his way to Cal State LA, where he competed in Formula SAE before joining the Battery Workforce Challenge. When he's not designing or studying aerodynamics, he likes to explore on his racing simulator, playing piano, and listening to EDM music. This passionate engineer combines his love of speed with a strong technical background, bringing both creativity and precision to every project.
Luisa Bautista
Communications and Marketing Manager
Luisa Fernanda serves as Communications Marketing Manager for the 3rd year of the Battery Workforce Challenge while completing her final semester in Mechanical Engineering at Cal State LA. Her academic journey took an unexpected turn from Criminal Justice to engineering when, on orientation day, she discovered her true calling working on cars a decision that led her through the challenging but rewarding path of mechanical engineering. Luisa has developed a passion for both the automotive and aerospace industries, finding particular satisfaction in the design and iteration process that allows her to witness her growth in tangible ways. Her hands-on approach extends beyond academics as she's recently begun working on her own car, combining her engineering studies with practical automotive experience. Luisa enjoys beach outings, listening to rap music, and weightlifting. This dedicated engineer combines her unique educational background with growing technical expertise and strong communication skills, bringing both analytical thinking and creative problem-solving to every project while maintaining her love and fascination with biomechanics of human movement.
Geoffrey Chavez
Engineering Manager
Geoffrey Scott Chavez brings his multifaceted expertise to the Year 3 Battery Workforce Challenge as a Master's student in Electrical Engineering at Cal State LA. His journey began with aspirations of becoming a sound engineer, driven by his musical talents spanning classical guitar, drums, violin, harmonica, and vocals, with dreams of creating innovative Hip-Hop and Blues mashups. However, his academic path led him from communications to power systems, where he discovered his true passion for high-voltage design, risk management, and control systems. When he's not immersed in battery technology and electrical systems, Geoffrey channels his competitive spirit through either Track & Field or Cross Country and gaming across multiple platforms including World of Warcraft, Magic: The Gathering, League of Legends, CS:GO, and Valorant. This versatile engineer combines his artistic background with technical precision, bringing creativity and strategic thinking to every challenge.
Arthur Espinosa
Thermal Lead
Arthur Espinosa leads thermal management innovation as the Thermal Team Lead for the Battery Workforce Challenge while completing his final stretch as a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate at Cal State LA. His passion for understanding how things work began in childhood with K'NEX building sets and has evolved into expertise in thermal management problems, simulation analysis, and battery pack cooling optimization strategies. As a naturally collaborative leader who starts quietly but sparks meaningful discussions, Arthur ensures every team member's ideas are heard while approaching complex challenges from multiple perspectives. His engineering journey spans diverse projects from Arduino sensors to large scale cooling plates, each experience strengthening both his technical abilities and teamwork skills. When he's not optimizing thermal systems or running simulations, Arthur finds inspiration in space exploration and stargazing, pursuits that fuel his love for science and keep him connected to the bigger picture. This dedicated engineer combines his hands on and problem solving approach with strong collaborative leadership, bringing both analytical depth and inclusive teamwork to every thermal challenge while maintaining his fascination with thermodynamics and astronomy during the focused clarity of fall nights.
Jaime Ramirez
Project Manager
Jaime F. Ramirez leads the Battery Workforce Challenge as Project Manager for the program's third year while completing his Master's in Electrical Engineering at Cal State LA. With a Bachelor's in Mathematics from the University of Arizona providing his analytical foundation, Jaime has developed into a hybrid introvert/extrovert who bridges technical expertise with clear communication, understanding that engineering solutions must be accessible to diverse audiences. Growing up in Southern California immersed him in the transportation industry's complexities, where hands on experience with cars and motorcycles sparked his passion for solving urban mobility challenges. His pursuit of sustainable transportation solutions in dense urban environments drives his graduate studies and fuels his commitment to the Battery Workforce Challenge program. When he's not managing projects or advancing his MSEE studies, Jaime prioritizes family time with his four year old son and enjoys morning and evening walks through the hills of Northeast Los Angeles with his wife. This experienced engineer combines his mathematical background with practical transportation knowledge and strong leadership skills, bringing both technical rigor and collaborative vision to every project while maintaining his expertise in risk analysis.
Kevin Rodriguez
Software Manager
Kevin Rodriguez is Software/Instrumentation Lead at the Battery Workforce Challenge while pursuing his second year as a Master's student in Electrical Engineering at Cal State LA. His unique academic journey began with a Bachelor's in Philosophy from CSULA and an Associate's degree in Mathematics from El Camino College, creating an unconventional but powerful foundation that combines analytical reasoning with technical expertise. Kevin's current focus on embedded communications projects reflects his deep interest in communication systems within embedded platforms, where his philosophical background enhances his approach to complex problem-solving. When he's not developing software solutions or advancing his graduate studies, Kevin channels his strategic thinking through Brazilian jiu-jitsu and bouldering, demonstrating his appreciation for tactical complexity. This multidisciplinary engineer combines his philosophical analytical skills with growing technical expertise in embedded systems, bringing both conceptual depth and practical innovation to every project while maintaining his fascination with embedded systems and chromatic music theory during the crisp clarity of winter months.
Raymond Tran
Hardware Lead
Raymond Tran brings dedicated academic excellence to the Year 3 Battery Workforce Challenge as a Master's student in Electrical Engineering at Cal State LA. After completing his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the same institution over five years of rigorous study, Raymond gained valuable industry experience as a summer intern at Stellantis, where he applied his technical knowledge in real world automotive applications. His career interests span the power, automotive, and aerospace industries, with his Stellantis internship providing direct insight into the automotive sector's latest technologies. When he's not advancing battery technology research or pursuing his graduate studies, Raymond enjoys video games, trading card games, watching anime, and playing basketball with friends. This focused engineer combines his strong academic foundation with practical industry experience, bringing both theoretical knowledge and hands on expertise to every project while maintaining his preference for spring's renewal and the collaborative spirit that defines his approach to engineering challenges.]
Chris Bachman
Lead Faculty Advisor
Dr. Bachman is an educator, engineer, researcher, and lifelong learner passionately dedicated to empowering students and professionals to become the next generation of leaders at Cal State LA. With a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and expertise spanning batteries, fuel cells, electrolyzers, supercapacitors, vehicle design, electrochemical 3D printing, and sustainable engineering, he leads groundbreaking research as Principal Investigator of the Sustainable Technology Lab and Director of the Innovation and Design Center overseeing the ECST Makerspace. His distinguished research portfolio includes serving as PI on NASA/JPL Collaborative Grants for High-Temperature Lithium-Ion Batteries and Lunar 3D Printing, Co-PI of the Materials Characterization Lab, and senior member of the PREM and CREST CATSUS centers. Recently honored with the prestigious 2025 Fulbright US Scholar Award, Dr. Bachman's excellence has been recognized through the Cal State LA University Outstanding Professor Award (2023) and SAE Ralph Teetor Excellence in Education Award (2022). His comprehensive teaching portfolio spans Introduction to Engineering, Human-Centered Design, Mechanical Design, Thermodynamics, and Vehicle Design, while serving as advisor for the Baja SAE team, Golden Eagle Makers, and Charging Eagles EV Team. Dr. Bachman combines groundbreaking research in electrochemical energy storage with transformative educational leadership, bringing both technical innovation and inspirational mentorship to advance sustainable technology solutions and student success.
David Blekhman
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Blekhman stands at the forefront of the transportation and renewable energy revolution as a leading expert in hydrogen infrastructure, alternative and renewable energy systems, fuel cells, and hybrid and electric vehicles. His comprehensive expertise spans automotive applications, fuel reforming, combustion systems, thermal and fluid dynamics, CFD analysis, data acquisition and instrumentation, and rotating machinery. Recognizing that autonomous, electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles represent a quantum leap in technology that will dominate manufacturing and service sectors over the next 20-30 years, Dr. Blekhman positions his students to take leadership roles in these emerging fields. As the lead advisor for Cal State LA's award-winning EcoCAR teams, he guided both the EcoCAR 2 (2011-14) and EcoCAR 3 (2014-18) competitions, where students successfully converted vehicles to plug-in hybrids, culminating in the prestigious Clean Air Award from the South Coast Air Quality Management District in 2018. Leveraging Southern California's unique position as the prime market for hydrogen, EV, and FCEV technologies, Dr. Blekhman connects the Sustainable Energy and Transportation program with dozens of world-renowned R&D and manufacturing companies, providing students with invaluable field trips and guest lectures. Dr. Blekhman combines cutting-edge technical expertise with strategic industry partnerships, preparing the next generation of engineers to lead the sustainable transportation revolution.
Masood Shahverdi
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Shahverdi is a faculty advisor for the California State University, Los Angeles & Cerritos College's Battery Workforce Challenge team and an associate professor at Cal State LA. He specializes in supervisory control and battery optimization for hybrid EVs. Dr. Shahverdi is an AVTC alum having led a team that created a full scale hybrid EV emulator and hybrid Lithium-ion battery system during his doctoral work and his post-doctoral fellowship. Dr. Shahverdi's recent work involves deep learning based power management systems for grid-tied batteries, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. His impact on vehicle electrification and power systems is evident in numerous publications and patents.
Curtis Wang
Lead Faculty Advisor
Dr. Wang is an Associate Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Cal State LA, where his expertise spans computer engineering fields with particular focus on embedded systems and high-performance computing applied to biomedical engineering. Beyond classroom instruction, he coordinates between the ECE department and the interdisciplinary EE/ME/ET Senior Design Capstone program. His mentorship extends across multiple student organizations as advisor for the IEEE student branch, one of them being the Battery Workforce Challenge where he guides the Charging Eagles competition team. Dr. Wang computational research with comprehensive student development, bringing both theoretical innovation and practical mentorship to advance the next generation of engineers.