Chris teaches at UCSC Baskin School of Engineering for three quarters a year. Each Fall there is a 200 seat CMPM25 3D Computer Modeling course using the open source modeling and animation software Blender. Winter quarters bring a 60 seat CMPM26 Blender Animation follow-on, and finally for specialist game designers there is a 60 seat CMPM27 Spring course in the Adobe 3D Substance suite. All of these are part of the Computer Science (Playable Media) department of the Baskin School of Engineering at UCSC. Chris has also been a faculty member of UCSC's Digital Arts and New Media department, specializing in the use of digital modeling and animation. He taught his first creative animation course, DANM100B, in the Spring quarter of 2014. That course covered the use of 3D computer, 2D drawn, and stop motion animation for narrative and freeform animations

StudioCruz, founded 2001, is a central California design and visualization consultancy firm serving clients in the Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay, and Monterey Bay regions. These clients include creative professionals, litigation attorneys, and product developers. StudioCruz provides design, surface modeling, prototyping, and presentation services.

Recent projects include the development of innovative medical, mechanical, and computer products in association with MakersFactory LLC, litigation exhibits relating to eminent domain - including mission-critical courtroom presentations - and animations for web sites and trade shows

An experienced public speaker, Chris received a standing ovation at the 2012 TEDx Santa Cruz for his presentation on the impact of open source technologies upon design. In 2013 he gave presentations at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, at Stanford University's FabLearn conference, at the Silicon Valley Forum Game Changing Technology conference, and twice at Hacker Dojo in Mountain View. In 2014 he gave presentations at Science on Tap in Santa Cruz, Hacker Dojo, and Sandbox Suites in Sunnyvale.

From January 2015 Chris taught two classes at Cabrillo College: DM72, an introduction to 2D animation using Photoshop and Animate on the MacOS platform, and ETech140, an introduction to 3D digital modeling, using Blender on Windows. He ceased to teach DM72 in 2020. ETech140 was split into two courses, ETech40 (digital modeling) and ETech43 (3D animation) in 2022. He also volunteers in the College's Fab Lab installation.

The VariCruz mechanism is a major engineering innovation, widely applicable to high efficiency variable gearing and propeller/turbine blade pitch control. It received its patent in May 2013 after six years of development. The VariCruz company is acquiring seed funding to develop production grade prototypes for eight vertical industry segments. These include bicycle gearing, machine tools, marine propeller blade pitch adjustment, wind and water turbines, and rotary wing aircraft propulsion.

Along with Dave Britton and Jim Abendschan, Chris founded MakersFactory as an innovative center for professional services and education centered on 3-dimensional design development technologies. MakersFactory was and remains a pioneer in the teaching and use of 3D printing in the Monterey Bay area. In March 2013 Chris sold his interest in MakersFactory to pursue the VariCruz gear project but they remain good friends. MakersFactory is a supplier of 3D printed components for the latest version of the VariCruz prototype.