Mike Chen, 23, came to Cal State LA and completed his Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering in May 2017. He is now a Brake Component Development Engineer with General Motors. Mike grew up in Taiwan where he says vehicles were considered a luxury item. When the opportunity presented itself for him to display his engineering skills and work in the auto industry, he was highly motivated to pursue his passion by joining the EcoCAR 3 team. EcoCAR 3 can often mimic the life of a real engineering job, and therefore, offered him the training needed before entering the automotive industry.
As a part of the GM Brake Development group, Mike aids in validating brake designs and analyzing failure causes to ensure quality products and safety. According to Mike, “My EcoCAR 3 experience helped me develop CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) skills that are going to be beneficial in my career. EcoCAR 3 also pushed me to become a team player which aided me to integrate into my current group with ease.”
During his freshman year at Cal State LA, Mike joined the EcoCAR 2 team. Over the course of his college career, he gained knowledge and leadership skills through his school work and training at EcoCAR. All of Mike’s accomplishments, effort, and hard work led him to take on the role of Engineering Manager of EcoCAR 3. The role of Engineering Manager that Mike took on in his final years at EcoCAR3 was vital in helping him know how to keep a team motivated and on task.
Cal State LA, alumni play a vital role on the team even after they graduate. At the end of the 2018 school year, three team members will join Mike at GM. Several still manage to keep in touch with the team and continue to guide team members through their journey as EcoCAR students. They inspire team members to work hard to achieve their goals in the hopes that it will pay off in the form of an exciting engineering career. We thank Mike for the hard work and dedication he and all of the Cal State LA, AVTC alumni have provided to the team throughout the years. We wish Mike the best of luck in the rest of his career!
