By Patricia A. Rasmussen, Ed.D.
Citrus College Governing Board Member

Image: Citrus College instructor Mariano Rubio (left) worked with students Joshua Tobar Lam (center) and Aimee Ortiz-Ramirez (right) to study how plasma technology could help reduce pollution associated with the burning of hydrogen in car engines.

Over the past few years, something very exciting has been brewing at Citrus College.

As a result of visionary leadership and support from the entire campus community, the Citrus College Engineering program has exploded in popularity, giving dozens of students an opportunity to participate in research and learn valuable new skills that will set them apart in their future academic and professional endeavors.

Mariano Rubio, an award-winning full-time instructor who has taught at Citrus College for more than a decade, has witnessed the growth first-hand.

Up until recently, he said, the engineering program was relatively small and only had a few course offerings throughout the year. Additionally, it was dependent upon adjunct faculty to teach the courses.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to step in and revamp the engineering program through partnerships with universities like Cal Poly Pomona and USC,” Rubio said.

Dr. Bala Sethu Raja, dean of mathematics, sciences and business, also has high hopes for the program. From his perspective, majoring in pre-engineering at Citrus College is a wise move.

“Starting at Citrus College will provide students with opportunities to complete transfer-level coursework at a much lower cost,” Dr. Sethu Raja said. “Also, Citrus College provides better access to fundamental engineering courses.”

As an instructor, Rubio hopes to increase the number of engineering courses for Citrus College students, enabling them to transfer those credits to a four-year college or university.

As of fall 2024, Rubio estimates there are approximately 60 students majoring in pre-engineering. A few years ago, the number was in the low teens.

“A large part of the growth has stemmed from the involvement of students in our Summer Research Experience program and from the initiation of the Engineering Club last year,” Rubio said.

One of the program’s top students is Aimee Ortiz-Ramirez, who fell in love with engineering after middle school when she was chosen to participate in a robotics competition.

“I think one of the main reasons I wanted to go into mechanical engineering is because I was able to create a design and build a new machine that could complete tasks that we needed to in order to do better in the game,” she said.

Since coming to Citrus College, Ortiz-Ramirez has been involved in several clubs, including the Engineering Club. She also participated in the college’s Summer Research Experience program, where she spent time with Rubio and fellow Citrus College students at USC researching plasma-enhanced combustion. The group’s research findings were published earlier this year in “Fuel,” a peer-reviewed scientific journal focused on the science and technology of fuels.

“I was very nervous and afraid to let people down throughout this experience, but with the Summer Research Experience support team, as well as having great lab partners and leaders, I felt guided along the way and did not feel isolated,” she said.

Looking ahead, Ortiz-Ramirez wants to study engineering and possibly astrophysics after graduating in spring 2026. Some of her long-term goals include obtaining a Ph.D. and working for an aerospace company.

As the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees representative of Glendora and portions of San Dimas, I am amazed by the incredible work being done to serve our students who have a passion for engineering. For those looking to start or complete their education, I encourage you to consider Citrus College.