Oceanbotics highlights how its sponsorship of the Titan Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) team at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) supports students gaining practical experience in underwater robotics while developing skills relevant to future engineering careers.
The company has supported the CSUF ROV vehicle program for years. Oceanbotics founder and CSUF alumnus Robert Jechart considers the program a valuable pipeline for engineering talent, with the company going on to hire some of the team’s top members.
For almost a decade, the collegiate Titan ROV team has built ROVs for the annual National Underwater Robotics Challenge (NURC). The initiative originated as a class project and has since become a multi-generational underwater ROV build, with new students taking on the vehicle and continuing to refine it.
This ongoing work provides a connection between academic study and careers in ROV manufacturing. Former team member Mohammad Khalil highlighted how his involvement with the project helped bridge the transition from a computer engineering degree to an immediate professional role.
Mohammad Khalil, former CSUF ROV Team member, “My experience on the CSUF ROV Team provided a strong foundation for professional engineering, exposing me to the core competencies that define effective engineers — technical design, systematic problem solving, budget management, and cross-functional team coordination. The opportunity to carry forward work developed during my senior project into a professional setting was particularly meaningful, as it demonstrated that my contributions had real, lasting impact from day one.”
Titan ROV Team Takes First Place at NURC
The Oceanbotics-sponsored Titan ROV team secured first place in the collegiate division at NURC, placing at the top of the national leaderboard.
The achievement recognizes the work of the CSUF students responsible for designing, building, and operating the underwater robot. The team recorded the highest score for technical innovation and mission execution.
Hosted by the Firewheel STEM Institute in Chandler, Arizona, NURC provides students from across the United States with hands-on experience in underwater robotics and exploration. Through the competition, students gain exposure to advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, and engineering design.
NURC is structured across four entry tiers: pre-high school, high school, university, and open adult. This gives participants the opportunity to engage with autonomous underwater robotics and put their custom ROV drones to the test in real-world scenarios.
Through its sponsorship of the Titan ROV team, Oceanbotics supports a program that enables students to apply engineering knowledge to the development and operation of underwater robotic vehicles. The team’s national championship result also demonstrates the technical innovation and mission execution achieved by the CSUF students involved in the program.
