4/24/2023 Julia Park
Written by Julia Park
Chris Nobre (BSME 2015) has been honored with a 2023 MechSE Outstanding Young Alumni Award. He was formally recognized at the MechSE Awards Banquet on March 24.
Nobre was most recently a Senior Program Manager at Amazon, where he oversaw planning, designing, and budgeting construction of new fulfillment centers in emerging markets for the company. This included qualifying new 3PL partners and material handling suppliers to use in Amazon’s operations in new countries. He started at the company as a Facilities Intern in Phoenix in 2013, and transitioned to full-time upon graduating from Illinois in 2015 where he worked as an Operations Engineer, overseeing the physical installation and commissioning of equipment in new fulfillment centers across the U.S.
As a MechSE student, Nobre was heavily involved in recruitment and new student programs. He was the Recruitment Lead for the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee, taught Engineering 100 and ENG198 Special Projects for two years each, and gave tours for both MechSE and The Grainger College of Engineering. He was also involved in SAE Baja, where aside from general part manufacturing, he was the business liaison, managing corporate sponsorships and academic funding opportunities provided by the university.
He credits the rigor of his engineering classes with his ability to handle ambiguity in professional contexts and juggle several high priorities at once, while his involvement in extracurricular programs developed his ability to influence and work with other people. Overall, Nobre said the balanced and well-rounded education he received from MechSE is a defining characteristic that has led to his professional success.
Nobre told the students in attendance at the banquet that he was recently reminded of the importance of connections – “What can happen when you show up, put in the work, and just connect with people. It really just opens up doors to you,” he said. “As MechSE students you have no doubt seen the power of your social networks. You know you share some pretty remarkable company. I urge you to keep those connections strong. Reach out to a former professor or classmate. Share your experiences – and ask about theirs. That’s how you maintain those relationships, and you truly may never know when your paths may cross again in the future.”
Bryan Petrus (BSME 2005, MSME 2013, PhD ME 2014) and Samantha Knoll (BSEM 2005, MS TAM 2013, PhD TAM 2016) were also winners of the 2023 MechSE Outstanding Young Alumni Award.