ESP Biography

TOM KABAT, 30 year bicycling devotee and engineer

Major: Environmental Engineering

College/Employer: Freelance Consultant

Year of Graduation: 1982

Brief Biographical Sketch:

After bicycling 4300 miles across the U.S. for 80 days during the summer of my sophomore year, I was hooked on cycling. Not only the world's most efficient form of transportation, the bicycle is a platform of discovery on many levels.

B.S. Environmental Engineering from Cal Poly, Solar Engineer, Utility Electric Resource Planner, Hydro electric resource planner, Renewable energy planner.

Interests and hobbies:
Bike touring, Designing and building unusual bikes from unusual materials. Bicycle history. Sustainabilty. Slowing climate change. Resource recovery and re-use. Financial planning. Alternative energy. Energy efficiency. Pushing limits, expanding envelopes, resetting bars, moving book-ends, opening doors, inspiring intellectual adventure. Bike Design as seen at www.woodenbikes.com

Past Classes

(Clicking a class title will bring you to the course's section of the corresponding course catalog)

L4545: Bicycle Maintenance in Splash Fall 2015 (Nov. 07 - 08, 2015)

Let's adjust gears, brakes, and the way a bike fits so your ride improves. We even patch tires, and fix klunky, squeaky, and loose things. Bring your bike if you can, we can tune it up.

L4546: Let’s Design a Satisfying Sustainable Life in Splash Fall 2015 (Nov. 07 - 08, 2015)

Let’s brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We'll have group discussion of values, choices and results. We'll explore the intersection of satisfaction, sustainability, consumption and community. Let's explore the balance of many possible roles in our lives and how they can add satisfaction and promote sustainability

L4242: Let’s Design a Satisfying Sustainable Life in Splash Spring 2015 (Apr. 11 - 12, 2015)

L4243: Bicycle Maintenance in Splash Spring 2015 (Apr. 11 - 12, 2015)

Let's adjust gears, brakes, and the way a bike fits so your ride improves. We even patch tires, and fix klunky, squeaky things. Bring your bike to class if you can.

H3951: Bicycle Maintenance in Splash Fall 2014 (Nov. 08 - 09, 2014)

Let's adjust gears, brakes, and the way a bike fits so your ride improves. We even patch tires, and fix klunky, squeky things. Bring your bike if you can.

H3952: Bicycle Maintenance in Splash Fall 2014 (Nov. 08 - 09, 2014)

Let's adjust gears, brakes, and the way a bike fits so your ride improves. We even patch tires, and fix klunky, squeky things. Bring your bike if you can.

L3953: Let’s Design a Sustainable Satisfying Life in Splash Fall 2014 (Nov. 08 - 09, 2014)

Let’s brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We'll have group discussion of values, choices and results. We'll explore the intersection of satisfaction, sustainability, consumption and community. People increasingly view themselves as "consumers". What other roles can we take in meeting our needs? Let's explore the balance of many possible roles in our lives and how they can add satisfaction and promote sustainability

L3624: Let’s Design a Sustainable Satisfying Life in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)

Let’s brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We'll have group discussion of values, choices and results. We'll explore the intersection of satisfaction, sustainability, consumption and community. People increasingly are viewed as "consumers". Let's explore the balance of many possible roles in our lives and how they can add satisfaction and promote sustainability.

L3655: Bicycle Maintenance in Splash! Spring 2014 (Apr. 12 - 13, 2014)

Let's adjust gears, brakes, and the way a bike fits to improve your ride. We even patch tires, and fix clunky, squeaky things. Bring your bike if you can.

L3182: Let's Design a Sustainable Satisfying Life in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)

Let’s brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We'll have group discussion of values, choices and results. We'll explore the intersection of satisfaction, sustainability, consumption and community. People increasingly are viewed as "consumers". Let's explore the balance of many possible roles in our lives and how they can add satisfaction and promote sustainability

L3188: Bicycle Maintenance in Splash! Fall 2013 (Nov. 02 - 03, 2013)

Let's adjust gears, brakes, and the way a bike fits so your ride improves. We even patch tires, and fix klunky, squeky things. Bring your bike if you can.

L2796: Let's design a satisfying life in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)

Let’s brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We will have group discussion of values, choices and results. We will explore the intersection of satisfaction, sustainability, consumption and community.

L2797: Bicycle Maintenance 1 in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)

Bring your bike. We will adjust it together and do minor maintenance and repairs. We diagnose problems and make adjustments. We can even adjust the bike to fit you better to improve your riding.

L2798: Bicycle maintenance 2 in Splash! Spring 2013 (Apr. 13 - 14, 2013)

Bring your bike. We will adjust it together and do minor maintenance and repairs. We diagnose problems and make adjustments. We can even adjust the bike to fit you better to improve your riding

L2382: Let's design a satisfying sustainable life. in Splash! Fall 2012 (Nov. 03 - 04, 2012)

Let’s brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We will have group discussion of values, choices and results.

L2383: Bicycle maintenance in Splash! Fall 2012 (Nov. 03 - 04, 2012)

Bring your bike. We will adjust it together. We diagnose problems and make adjustments. We can even adjust the bike to fit you better.

L1958: Bike Maintenance in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)

Bring your bike. We will adjust it together. We diagnose problems and make adjustments. We can even adjust the bike to fit you better.

L1959: Let's design a satisying sustainable life in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)

Let's brainstorm to design a satisfying and sustainable life. We will have group discussion of values, choices and results.

S2012: Let's design a sustainability class for Splash in Splash! Spring 2012 (Apr. 21 - 22, 2012)

Come help design a Splash class for teaching students about sustainability and lifestyle decisions. We will brainstorm and prototype a classroom experience for effectively teaching other students about sustainability and about the choices they can make in their lives leading to a satisfying and sustainable lifestyle. Instructor will incorporate the plan into a separate Splash class.

H1633: Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance in Splash! Fall 2011 (Oct. 29 - 30, 2011)

Bring your bike to a course intended to help both of you align your functions in harmony with nature. We will skim the surface of various philosophies and apply them to bike maintenance in a hands-on interactive practical and whimsical session. We hope to center ourselves and our wheels, adjust our attitudes and our shifters, lean on each other and our brakes. We hope to find the proper position both for ourselves on the bikes and for the bikes in the world.

S1634: We Can Improve the Environment and our Self Esteem in Splash! Fall 2011 (Oct. 29 - 30, 2011)

Let's talk about greenhouse gas problems, and what we can do about them. Let's explore the consumer culture and compare it to the maker culture. Let's look at the dependent driver culture and compare it to the independent bike culture. We can explore needs vs. wants and actual interests vs. stated positions. Let's discuss the good life and the lasting legacy. Let's start making a plan for a good life.

H1315: Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance in Splash! Spring 2011 (Apr. 16 - 17, 2011)

S1317: We can Improve the Environment and our Self Esteem in Splash! Spring 2011 (Apr. 16 - 17, 2011)

H1010: Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance in Splash! Fall 2010 (Nov. 13 - 14, 2010)

S1011: Lean, Green and full of Self Esteem in Splash! Fall 2010 (Nov. 13 - 14, 2010)

We will discuss current greenhouse gas problems, and their significance. We will explore the consumer culture and compare it to the maker culture. We will explore the dependent driver culture and compare it to the independent bike culture. We will explore needs vs. wants and actual interests vs. stated positions. We will discuss the good life and the lasting legacy.

H511: Unusual Bicycle design and construction techniques in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)

Explore the possibilities of unusual bicycle design and construction. You can learn ways to make a bike that could set you apart from the crowd. Bike history, Bike design strategies, Ergonomics of bicycling. CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) system development for full scale 3-D modeling. Wood bike construction techniques. We will design bikes and review each others' designs.

H521: Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance in Splash! Fall 2009 (Oct. 10 - 11, 2009)