Robert Danziger will be the keynote speaker at CSU Monterey Bay's 17th commencement ceremony, to be held May 18.

The Carmel resident received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from CSUMB in September 2011, in recognition of his accomplishments as a musician, inventor and sustainable energy pioneer.

Mr. Danziger worked at the California Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he had a close-up look at one of the space age’s most ambitious projects, the Voyager exploration into deep space.

While still in his 20s, he founded Sunlaw Energy Corp. His goal was to research, develop, demonstrate and commercialize new energy and environmental technology.

He has been issued 10 patents, including one for a “walking chair,” which he uses to help overcome his own mobility issues.

And he’s a law school graduate, an artist and musician. His current project: rewriting Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, “coming at it from a jazz point of view,” he said.

The ceremony will be held at Freeman Stadium on the CSUMB campus. Approximately 1,300 students will receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Learn more about commencement. Photo: Mr. Danziger addresses the audience after receiving an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from CSUMB in September 2011