August 30, 2023 Cal State LA Mechanical Engineering Faculty Honored

John C. Bachman was presented this year’s Cal State LA Outstanding Professor Award.

Los Angeles, CA — John C. Bachman, an associate professor of mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology at Cal State LA, was recognized for excellence in teaching and outstanding achievements during University Convocation 2023.

Bachman, who is also director of the ECST Makerspace and the Sustainable Technology Lab, was presented an Outstanding Professor Award on Aug. 17 for his significant achievements in scholarly inquiry or creativity, as well as professional activities and community service.

Bachman led the collective effort to create the ECST Makerspace, which provides a space for Cal State LA students, faculty and staff, and individuals from surrounding communities to bring their ideas to life. Since its inception five years ago, the space has become a community hub for meeting, designing and building.

Through the university’s Sustainable Technology Lab, Bachman leads research into novel technologies for energy storage, space exploration and transportation. Together, students and collaborating institutions, including the National Science Foundation, Stark Draper Labs and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, study and design novel materials and technologies for storage of renewable energy generation, low-cost electrochemical metal 3D printing, high-temperature operation of lithium-ion batteries and design components for 3D-printed parts on the moon. Five students from his lab are now pursuing advanced degrees at UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford and Pennsylvania State University.

Bachman advises and mentors the Baja Society of Automotive Engineers team, the Formula SAE team, and the Golden Eagle Makers Club. The SAE teams design and build off-road and Formula 1-style race cars and compete against hundreds of universities annually at international competitions. The GEM Club focuses on working with community organizations to design and build solutions for the communities they serve. Recent projects include building shade structures at local preschools, storage and housing for animal shelters and planters for centers serving adults with developmental disabilities.

In these roles, Bachman is passionate about promoting the growth of the next generation of exceptional critical thinkers and takes great pride in seeing students make big impacts in industry, government and academia.

Bachman currently lives in Alhambra and earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Contact: Margie Low, Cal State LA Communications and Public Affairs, margiey@calstatela.edu

Subscribe to Industry Today