Stellantis mentors bring firsthand automotive industry experience to the EcoCAR Innovation Challenge, helping students connect classroom concepts with real-world vehicle development. Their guidance provides students with a better understanding of the technical decisions, collaboration and problem-solving required to develop innovative mobility solutions.
“Mentorship gives EcoCAR students something a classroom alone cannot provide: a personal connection to the industry they are preparing to enter,” said David Delisle, one of The Ohio State University’s mentors and Battery Workforce Challenge alumnus. “By working alongside experienced professionals, students build confidence, expand their networks, and see how their education translates into meaningful work.”
Through ongoing mentorship, Stellantis encourages students to look beyond individual engineering challenges and recognize the importance of teamwork, unique perspectives, and professional relationships. These experiences help students strengthen their abilities while preparing them to contribute to the automotive industry.
Delisle said, “A mentor’s most lasting contribution is not a single technical answer, but the curiosity, confidence, and sense of possibility they awaken in a student.”
This commitment to collaboration reflects Stellantis’ “Together We Win” mentality, emphasizing the value of shared knowledge and collective success in shaping the future of mobility.
Thank you to our Stellantis mentors:
- Manu Srikrishna: California State University, Los Angeles
- Brian Castillo: California State University, Los Angeles
- John Buchanan: Colorado School of Mines
- Haikuan Qiu: Colorado School of Mines
- Jeff Fenoseff: Louisiana State University
- Andrew Koerber: Louisiana State University
- David Delisle: The Ohio State University
- Prasad Kumbhar: The Ohio State University
- Matt Leyland: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- Vivek Ramachandran: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
- Rebecca Kemp: Texas A&M University
- Srihari Gangaraj: Texas A&M University
- Raj Dhar: University at Buffalo
- Luke Anderson: University at Buffalo
- Shashank Rai: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Chase Williams: University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- Brent Stoner: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Weixing Zhou: University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Satyam Panchal: University of Waterloo
- Julian Summers-Doniver: University of Waterloo
