Brian Hagopian
Program Coordinator / Professor
- E-mail: bhagopian@laspositascollege.edu
- Phone: (925) 424-1171
- Office: 3512
Office Hours
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Office hours:
- Please email your availability and a custom office hour will be provided.
- Official offices hours are listed on class syllabus.
About Me:
I didn't plan on a career in cars — I was headed toward law school. But when my first-choice classes filled up at Fresno City College, an auto shop course was the one seat left open, and it ended up changing the course of my life. That hands-on class hooked me. I earned my AS degree, spent a decade turning wrenches at a GM dealership, and trained through GM's competitive World Class technician program. In 2002, an instructor pointed me toward an opening at a small community college program in Livermore, and I've been building it — and the students who come through it — ever since.
Today, I'm the Program Coordinator and a professor in the Automotive Technology program at Las Positas College. I hold a BA from Ashford University alongside a stack of industry credentials, including ASE Master certification, GM World Class status, and several others. I've written multiple automotive technical guides covering everything from hybrid and EV systems, performance modifications to advanced electrical diagnostics. I was also recently named a national finalist for Instructor of the Year, which means a lot to me because it reflects what I care about most: making sure my students actually get it.
I still remember exactly what it felt like to walk into that first auto shop class knowing nothing about cars. I've built my teaching around that memory — helping every student go from uncertain to capable, one hands-on lesson at a time. I take the time to make sure concepts click, and I genuinely want to know your name and your goals, not just see you as a face in the room.
Whether you're just starting out or already dreaming about where an automotive career can take you, my classroom is a place to ask questions, get your hands dirty, and find out what you're capable of. Come say hi — I'd love to help you find your own "hooked" moment.
My Authored Textbooks
- Automotive G1, A1 to A9 and L1, L2, L3, L4: The definitive master guide to ASE certification and advanced vehicle diagnostics. Includes ASE style test questions.
- Automotive Advanced Electrical and Networks Diagnostic Procedures: Master High-Speed Bus Systems and Oscilloscope Diagnostics to Solve Complex Electrical Failures
- Hybrid, EV, and Alternative Fuels: Mastering the future of propulsion from high-voltage systems to sustainable alternative fuels
- High-Performance Automotive Modifications: System Upgrades, Legal Compliance, Advanced Cost-Benefit, Execution and a Technical Blueprint for Safety and Performance on the Road and Track