Chris Bobko joins CCNY’s Zahn Innovation Center as its director

The Zahn Innovation Center at The City College of New York names Chris Bobko, former chief engineering officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, as its new director.

Bobko is a graduate of Princeton University and has a master’s degree and Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His background as chief engineering officer at HyperloopTT and associate professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University brings his academic and startup experience together. 

“I am incredibly excited to join the team at the Zahn Innovation Center and return to work with students,” said Bobko. “I look forward to providing opportunities for all CCNY students to develop great ideas, bring them into practice, and serve the local and global community.”

In his previous position, Bobko was responsible for developing technological plans, managing engineering projects, and leading collaborations and partnerships with other engineering companies. He also grew his engineering team from two contractors to twelve full-time employees and recruited more than 100 engineering contractors internationally. 

As a professor, he established an externally-funded research program focused on implementing more sustainable civil engineering materials and believes in challenging students at all levels to help them grow into more talented and motivated leaders. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to CCNY and the Zahn Center. Chris has a found success in both academic and entrepreneurial fields. A tenured professor of engineering at North Carolina State University, he left that position to assume the role of senior engineering specialist & manager at the start-up company, HyperloopTT,” said Dee Dee Mozeleski, vice president of the Office of Institutional Advancement and Communications, executive director of the Foundation for City College and senior advisor to the president. “As such, Chris embodies both strands of the Zahn Center's programmatic footprint, and we are thrilled to be able to anticipate his leadership at the center. “

At CCNY, the Zahn Innovation Center serves to teach students about entrepreneurship and expand their knowledge about business, technology, and engineering. The center supports students through funding, mentorships, legal services, and provides access to prototyping facilities, such as 3D printing and laser cutting. 

Bringing his engineering, education and industry skills to the Zahn Center, Bobko will be responsible for developing and managing collaborative relationships between stakeholders, and creating programs to provide students with the best opportunities for launching innovative entrepreneurial activities and ventures. 
 

About the City College of New York
Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided a high-quality and affordable education to generations of New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. CCNY embraces its position at the forefront of social change. It is ranked #1 by the Harvard-based Opportunity Insights out of 369 selective public colleges in the United States on the overall mobility index. This measure reflects both access and outcomes, representing the likelihood that a student at CCNY can move up two or more income quintiles. In addition, the Center for World University Rankings places CCNY in the top 1.8% of universities worldwide in terms of academic excellence. Labor analytics firm Emsi puts at $1.9 billion CCNY’s annual economic impact on the regional economy (5 boroughs and 5 adjacent counties) and quantifies the “for dollar” return on investment to students, taxpayers and society. At City College, more than 16,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight schools and divisions, driven by significant funded research, creativity and scholarship. CCNY is as diverse, dynamic and visionary as New York City itself. View CCNY Media Kit.