Recent grad lands General Atomics job

Just a few short months after graduating from California State University, Bakersfield with his degree in electrical engineering, Christopher Kobee has already joined the workforce in his chosen field. In August, he accepted a position as an engineer at General Atomics, a defense and diversified technologies company based in San Diego.

"Getting this job was a life-changing event for me, as I had to relocate to a new city and quickly adapt to the workplace environment since it differs greatly from college," said Kobee, 22. "It has been an exciting process to transition from college into the professional workforce. It feels like a new beginning where I can create the career path that I want to go down and gain many skills, friends and memories along the way."

Going from college student to professional is a big change, but it's one Kobee felt prepared for thanks to his time at CSUB and its College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering. The confidence and knowledge he earned at CSUB showed him he made the right decision enrolling at the university after graduating from Stockdale High School in 2020.

"The biggest reason I chose CSUB is because of the great engineering program," Kobee said, noting that he has since learned how important it was that the programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). "I also chose CSUB because it was near my house, which allowed me to stay close to my family and friends. Finally, I chose CSUB because I love the city of Bakersfield, and I wanted to complete my education in Bakersfield."

Originally from San Diego, Kobee and his family moved to Bakersfield in 2014, when he was in junior high school. Even then, he was interested in the sciences.

"I was told by my parents that at a young age, I would build complex toy train systems in my living room and that I had the mind of an engineer," he said. "With that information, I decided to pursue engineering."

In high school, Kobee got to explore engineering through Chevron's Project Lead the Way, taking three classes that covered different aspects of the field. While general engineering and civil engineering were interesting, it was a course on electrical engineering that most sparked Kobee's curiosity.

By the time Kobee graduated high school and started at CSUB, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing, vastly limiting the traditional college experience he might have hoped for previously.

"I did not step foot on campus until the beginning of my junior year, which felt strange because I felt like a lost freshman," he remembered. "I did not know where anything was, and I had to often ask for directions from others."

Calling himself a "late bloomer" with regards to campus involvement, Kobee threw himself into campus life and extracurriculars in his senior year. On campus, he joined the Robotics Club and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The summer before his senior year, he interned at the Bureau of Land Management, assisting an engineer in inspecting culverts and documenting coordinates along roads at Sequoia National Forest, as well as collaborating with an archeologist to create a 3D model of a historic cabin using strategically angled photographs.

One of the most important accomplishments for Kobee was his senior design project, for which he was tasked with creating something that would be innovative and practical for users. Working with classmates Angel Fabian and Juan Salgado, Kobee said their original idea was to create a solar panel cleaning system, but their professor, Dr. Amin Malek, encouraged the trio to challenge themselves more. The result was Chappi, an autonomous recovery device.

"It was a robotic tank chassis with a custom-made robot arm attached to the top that would use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify, approach, and retrieve ping pong balls without the need for any human intervention," Kobee said. "I was responsible for the hardware portion of the project, where I designed and implemented the circuits, assembled the robot, and selected the motors. With much research, testing, and determination, we successfully completed the project and gave it to the university to demo for future students."

Before Kobee graduated with honors in May, he was named the Outstanding Undergraduate in Electrical Engineering. Kobee was nominated by Dr. Malek, with whom he had four classes.

"Supervising Christopher Kobee was an absolute pleasure," Dr. Malek said. "His depth of knowledge, dedication and willingness to assist his peers set him apart as one of the best students I have had the privilege to teach. His ability to grasp complex concepts and share his insights with others demonstrates not only his academic excellence but also his generosity in fostering a collaborative learning environment. I am confident that his future endeavors will be equally outstanding."

Kobee, who was also inducted into the CSUB Roadrunner Society Hall of Fame, named Dr. Saeed Jafarzadeh and Dr. Ehsan Reihani as two more faculty members who were especially helpful during his time on campus. He also thanked Dr. Jane Dong, dean of NSME, as well as classmates and friends Zane Warren and Andrew Hasting for their support throughout his education.

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