Team Members

 Meet our team! 

 

Barnabas Novak, President of Cal State LA Charging Eagles sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis.

Barnabas Novak

Club President

Barnabas Novak is the club's president and communications lead for the California State University, Los Angeles -Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a third-year student at CSULA majoring in computer science and minoring in real estate. What excites him the most about the BattChallenge is the college level competition and building a battery pack of their own for EV. He believes that the Charging Eagles will create something special.

Luis Arias, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Luis Arias

Vehicle Systems Integration Lead

Luis Arias is the vehicle systems integration lead for the California State University, Los Angeles -Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a third-year student at CSULA studying mechanical engineering. What excites him the most about the BattChallenge is being able to go through the engineering design process, collaborate and work as a team as we design and build an EV battery pack. Arias wants to explore and learn what it takes to build a battery pack and integrate it into a vehicle. 

Katherine Bonomo, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Katherine Bonomo

BattScholar Funding

Kat Bonomo is the funding BattScholar for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College's Battery Workforce Challenge team and a senior at CSULA majoring in civil engineering and minoring in sustainable marketing. What excites her the most about the BattChallenge is being part of a beginning initiative to connect students with the opportunity to learn important skills and push energy-efficient technology in our future. Bonomo is excited to document our growth throughout the year!   

Isabel Builes, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Isabel Builes

Project Manager

Isabel Builes is the project manager for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a first-year master's student at CSULA studying mechanical engineering. She holds a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and a graduate degree in business and innovation. Builes brings industry experience to her studies, with previous jobs as a design mechanical engineer for energy systems, field engineer in the automotive industry and a coordinator of new engineering businesses department in the energy industry. What excites her the most about this challenge is the opportunity to manage a diverse and large team, aiming to achieve the best outcome in the design process.

Brian Castillo, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Brian Castillo

Engineering Manager

Brian Castillo is the engineering manager for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a second-year graduate student at CSULA, where he’s pursuing a master's degree in electrical engineering. He also holds a bachelor's from CSULA. What excites him the most about the BattChallenge is that it has given him the opportunity to work on EVs and be part of the change of a carbon-neutral future. Castillo is eager to learn many skills that will help him professionally in the future.

Erick Gross, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Erick Gross

Thermal Lead

Erick Gross is the thermal lead for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a senior at CSULA studying mechanical engineering. His interests are in thermal systems, renewable energy and system engineering. Gross has gained some valuable leadership and research skills and a better understanding of how electric vehicles work. He is also excited to be working with multiple teams to achieve the same goal.

Manuel Haro

Manuel Haro

Vocational Liaison

Manuel Haro is the vocational liaison for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and senior at CSULA studying electrical engineering, specializing in power systems. What excites Haro about the BattChallenge is being part of a group of engineers who are making a battery pack module for EVs that will impact peoples’ daily lives.

Mario Medine, faculty member at California State University and part of Charging Eagles, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Mario Medina

Lead Faculty Advisor

Mario Medina is the lead faculty advisor for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a CSULA Department of Mechanical Engineering professor. What excites him about the Battery Workforce Challenge collegiate competition is the opportunity to work on such a complex problem with a giant team. He considers it both scary and exciting. Medina is excited to see what his team creates.

Joe Mulleary, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Joe Mulleary

Vocational Faculty Advisor

Cerritos College

Joe Mulleary is the vocational faculty advisor for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and an instructor and co-chair for Cerritos College’s Automotive Technology Department. Mulleary holds an associate’s from Cerritos College in automotive technology, a bachelor’s from California State University, Chico in recreation administration, and a master’s from Humboldt State University (Arcata, Calif.) in education. He is committed to providing students with learning experiences that further skills development and learning. Mulleary looks forward to the BattChallenge, particularly Cerritos College’s partnership with CSULA. He shared that this partnership is a great opportunity for the students. 

Nidavore Nirvana, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Nidavone Niravanh

Lead Safety Advisor

California State University, Los Angeles

Nidavone Niravanh is the lead safety advisor for California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and the faculty executive director of Risk Management and Environmental and Health and Safety for CSULA. Niravanh is responsible for overall Environmental Health and Safety program management, risk exposure assessment, regulatory interface, construction RMEHS management, strategic planning and program development, asbestos and lead program, and building inspection program. She is most excited to see a safe work environment for the BattChallenge.

Masood Shahverdi, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Masood Shahverdi

Co-Lead Faculty Advisor

California State University, Los Angeles

Masood Shahverdi is the co-lead faculty advisor for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and an associate professor at CSULA. He specializes in supervisory control and battery optimization for hybrid EVs. During his doctoral work and his post-doctoral fellowship, Shahverdi led a team that created a full-scale hybrid EV emulator and hybrid lithium-ion battery system. He advised the EcoCAR3 team. 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.

Cao Tran, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Cao Tran

Battery Pack Software Lead

California State University, Los Angeles

Cao Tran is the battery pack software lead for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and is a part time CSULA graduate student in his third year. He specializes in embedded and power systems. Tran holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from CSULA.  His interests are in renewable energy, storage and renewable energy management systems.  Tran is excited to be part of the BattChallenge alongside his peers who share the same goals and passion.  He sees his time in the BattChallenge as an opportunity to be part of a future that helps the environment and builds a sustainable future. 

Raymond Tran, team member photo for the Cal State LA Charging Eagles Team in the Battery Workforce Challenge sponsored by the US Department of Energy and Stellantis

Raymond Tran

Battery Pack Hardware Lead

Raymond Tran is the battery pack hardware lead for the California State University, Los Angeles-Cerritos College Battery Workforce Challenge team and a senior at CSULA studying electrical engineering and specializing in power. What excites him about the BattChallenge is the opportunity to build a battery pack that is being used in an EV.