Robert Karban is currently the CTO at Planetary Utilities, a space systems infrastructure provider, and was a Principal Systems Engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which Caltech manages for NASA, specializing in model-based systems engineering (MBSE) to tackle complex engineering challenges. As an instructor in Caltech CTME's digital engineering and MBSE programs, Robert brings a practical, problem-solving focus to his teaching, leveraging decades of experience in systems modeling to address real-world engineering needs. His dedication to advancing systems engineering through modeling, simulation, and innovative methodologies is evident throughout his career of more than 30 years.
Robert's domain experience includes leadership in several high-impact MBSE projects. As MBSE lead for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project, he developed an executable SysML model that captured crucial subsystem interactions and observatory-level behaviors, supporting early validation of operational concepts and system functionality. This work directly contributed to the creation of the OpenSE Cookbook, a resource offering modeling patterns, guidelines, and conventions widely used across the MBSE community. For his contributions to TMT and his leadership in integrating modeling tools across JPL, Robert was recognized with two JPL Voyager Awards.
Previously, Robert led the INCOSE MBSE Telescope Modeling Challenge Team, which achieved a significant milestone by developing the first SysML model of a complex, interdisciplinary system—a feat earned him INCOSE's "Achieving the Systems Engineering Vision" award. This project laid the foundation for the OpenSE Cookbook.
Robert's contributions extend beyond TMT and the Telescope Modeling Challenge Team. As MBSE lead for JPL's Endurance Lunar Rover mission, he established the mission's modeling framework, creating component and behavioral models that supported critical architectural analysis in communication and driving scenarios. He has also been involved in Mars exploration missions, contributing behavioral models for the Perseverance Helicopter Ingenuity and the Mars Sample Return helicopter to capture mission-critical operations accurately.
As an educator and consultant, Robert provided MBSE training for NASA, JPL, and industry partners, focusing on digital engineering and systems modeling techniques. He has taught MBSE methods at programs like EADS/Astrium's Advanced Systems Engineering Practices Program in Europe and frequently speaks at conferences and workshops on MBSE applications. At JPL, Robert led the Enterprise System Modeling initiative, guiding a team in capturing enterprise-level structural and behavioral data in SysML to enhance institutional engineering practices.
Robert holds a Master's in Computer Science from the University of Technology, Vienna, Austria, and is an OMG-certified OCSMP Model Builder - Advanced. He has been an active member of INCOSE and the MBSE community since 2008, and he co-founded OpenMBEE (Open Model-Based Engineering Environment), an open-source platform supported by NumFOCUS that enables cross-tool and cross-language collaboration in modeling. Additionally, Robert co-chaired the SysML Revision Task Force at the Object Management Group (OMG), representing NASA, and has represented JPL on the SysML v2 submission team, which is developing the next generation of systems modeling standards. Widely published and a regular speaker at industry events, Robert continues to support the MBSE community through his contributions, helping engineers apply model-based approaches to diverse and complex engineering challenges.