INTERPRO - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Water and Environmental Programs
Job Titles:
- Title: Director of Learning Design & Technology
Amanda Renz leads the Learning Design and Technologies team, whose purpose is to support the design and delivery of our world-class learning experiences and fulfill our commitment to the Wisconsin Idea. In her role, she consults with faculty and campus leaders on research-based best practices for teaching and learning, with insight into online learning systems and the needs of professional adult learners.
Amanda is a proud Badger and life-long learner who earned her bachelor's in Education and master's in Library and Information Studies, both from UW-Madison. Prior to joining UW, she served as a K12 Educator and a Staff Sergeant in the US Army.
Job Titles:
- Director of Transportation and Ethics Programs
Job Titles:
- Retired Director of R & D Data Analytics at Abbott Laboratories
- Title
Tony is the recently retired Director of R&D Data Analytics at Abbott Laboratories, where he oversaw a broad spectrum of analytics responsibilities, ranging from statistics, reliability and quality engineering to data management, advanced analytics, and business decision support.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Director of Electrification, IC Engines, and Technical Leadership Programs
Job Titles:
- Sustainable Systems Engineering
Senior faculty and experienced professionals in the industry facilitate the program's courses. Our instructors stay connected with students and are highly accessible, which enables them to address the specific interests of students.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
Christine Haas has over 10 years of experience working in technical communication. As a Lecturer in the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (MEM) program and principal of Christine Haas Consulting, LLC, she teaches courses to scientists, engineers, and technical professionals on presentation skills, slide design, storytelling and technical writing.
In addition to her work with the University of Wisconsin, she has taught clients across industry, government, and higher education-including Stanford, Netflix, The North Face, Texas Instruments, MathWorks, Genentech, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Sandia National Laboratories, and Simula Research Laboratory (Norway).
She received her MBA in marketing and international business from Drexel University, and her BA in English and film from Dickinson College.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Title
Chris Dakes is committed to advancing the mission of higher education teaching and learning by leading and advocating for changes that explore the intersection of historical foundations, diverse contemporary needs, and visions of future possibilities. As the inaugural Director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering Education in the College of Engineering, his 20+ years of experience are brought to life by conducting and disseminating research on teaching and learning, creating and sustaining cross-disciplinary courses and programs, and leading organizational change initiatives. His private sector engineering and consulting work integrate with his higher ed work to bring a strong blend of real-world perspectives and personal passion into effective learning design and curriculum development.
Chris teaches EPD 618 Applied Leadership and Management of Engineering Organizations for the Master of Engineering Management Program. While not teaching, he can be found road tripping and camping with his partner in their vintage 1981 VW bus that barely runs and won't get up a hill without being pushed.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Title: Director of Marketing
Job Titles:
- Director of Railroad Engineering and Operations Programs
- Title: Department Administrator, Program Director
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Consultant With Deb Houden & Associates and on Faculty With the Wisconsin School of Business
- Title
Houden is a principle consultant with Deb Houden & Associates and on faculty with the Wisconsin School of Business, UW-Madison Interdisciplinary Professional Programs, and the University of Wisconsin Center for Professional Development.
She has extensive experience helping families and businesses negotiate various needs-concentrating on communication, value creation, transition, board development, family meetings and next generation development. Houden also facilitates various negotiated agreements, including shareholder and family employment agreement, developing family meetings, beginning stages of board development, and working with younger generational members of family firms to create family councils.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Title: Director of E - Business Consortium
Job Titles:
- Director of Ammonia Refrigeration Programs
Dr. David Ding is a lecturer within the MS Manufacturing System Engineering program. Dr. Ding serves as the Associate Dean at the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Management at UW-Stout. Furthermore, he also holds the position of Director of the School of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Stout.
Boasting over three decades of expertise spanning both industry and higher education, Dr. Ding has excelled in various roles, including regional division leader at multiple Fortune 500 organizations. His illustrious career is fortified by a profound understanding of digital transformation, manufacturing automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, underscored by certifications earned from esteemed institutions such as MIT, Oxford University, the Wharton School, and Harvard University.
Dr. Ding's research portfolio encompasses diverse domains, including manufacturing system design, digital transformation, Industry 4.0, IoT, and Cyber manufacturing systems. His pioneering work consistently advances the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in these critical fields.
Educationally, Dr. Ding holds a PhD and Master's degree in Industry and System Engineering from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. His academic journey also includes a BS degree in Economics from the Tsinghua University in China.
Dr. Nick Nagel is a UW-Madison graduate and started teaching classes in the MEES program in Electric Machines and Drives in 2021. He also teaches Courses in Controls in the ME Department.
Dr. Nagel received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1989. After working in industry for four years, he gained acceptance and attended UW-Madison full time in 1993, ultimately earning his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 1995, 1996, and 1998, respectively. His focus on control of electric machinery attracted him to aerospace industries searching for those skills. Dr. Nagel worked in the aerospace business for 20 years, first with MPC Products in Chicago, and then with Triumph Aerospace Systems - Seattle. While in Chicago, Dr. Nagel was an affiliate professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. In Seattle, he is currently an affiliate professor at the University of Washington - Seattle where he teaches graduate and professional courses in control systems and electric machines & drives.
In aerospace, Dr. Nagel focuses on high performance motor and motion control. He works in electromechanical actuation for both commercial and military aerospace applications. He draws from professional applications as background for his courses to compliment engineering theory with application experience.
In 2018, Dr. Nagel joined Turntide Technologies and moved from aerospace to industrial/automotive applications. At Turntide, he began as Senior Director of Research & Development and now is the Global Engineer Lead of Controls & Firmware. He currently focuses on transportation electrification and industrial energy savings.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Title: Associate Dean
Job Titles:
- Member SPIE, Member IEEE / Director of AI / ML, Electrification and Mechatronics Programs
Job Titles:
- Associate Member of the International Academy of Production Engineering
- Professor
Doctor Pfefferkorn is a professor in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Mechanical Engineering and the director of the Manufacturing Systems Engineering program at UW-Madison.
Dr. Pfefferkorn is an associate member of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP), a recipient of the 2007 Kuo K. Wang Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and a recipient of the Machine Tool Technology Research Foundation (MTTRF) equipment loan award. From September 2015 through August 2016, Dr. Pfefferkorn served as the assistant director for research partnerships in the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office located at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He has an appointment at the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) as a visiting professor, funded by the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation. This visiting professorship has him spending approximately three months per year in Vienna, building a strong research collaboration in advanced manufacturing research between TU Wien and UW-Madison.
Gana Natarajan has been in higher education since 2012, developing and offering undergraduate and graduate courses in multiple modalities. Gana was instrumental in building a successful online Engineering Management program at Oregon State University before moving to UW-Platteville. Gana has held multiple leadership and board positions with the American Society for Engineering Management (ASEM). He is a Certified Professional in Engineering Management (CPEM®) by ASEM.
Gana is an Engineering Education thought leader who aims to improve access, retention, and student success in higher education. Gana combines his love for engineering education and data analytics to complete learning analytics projects that aim at student success and retention.
Outside of work, Gana likes to travel and loves to golf.
Education:
Ph.D. Systems and Engineering Management, Texas Tech University
M.S. Engineering Management, University of Minnesota - Duluth
B.E. Mechanical Engineering, Anna University, India
Certifications:
Certified Professional in Engineering Management (CPEM®) by ASEM
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Program Director
- Title
- Title: Director of Graduate Programs
A downtown Madison stay overlooking Lake Monona. The 240 sleeping room hotel is connected to Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center via a skywalk. We're within blocks of State Street and the WI State Capitol, and the University of Wisconsin Madison campus is a mile away. Our free shuttle will take you to and from Dane County Airport and local attractions. Enjoy our 24-hour market and indoor pool. Take advantage of the free Wi-Fi and on-site business center to keep you connected.
Job Titles:
- Director of Facilities and Building Systems Programs
Job Titles:
- Director of Environmental Programs
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Director of Quick Response Manufacturing Programs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Chief Technical Officer of Power Solutions International
- Title
Dr. Lin is currently the chief technical officer of Power Solutions International, a major US gas engines producer. An engineer-turned into senior manager-he has rich and diverse experiences in US and international corporations, including senior engineering leadership roles in Cummins, Navistar and Siemens JV, VP of Cummins-Komatsu JV (Japan), advisor to chairman of Weichai Power (China), and president/CEO of Societe Internationale des Moteurs Baudouin (France). He graduated from UW-Madison with a PhD in mechanical engineering.
Dr. Lin teaches EPD 613 International Engineering Strategies and Operations. He has also taught strategic management at NCCU in Taiwan and Internal Combustion Engines at NCKU in Taiwan.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Engineering Director for the Mechanical Power Conversion Product Line at Collins Aerospace
Jessie is the Engineering Director for the Mechanical Power Conversion product line at Collins Aerospace where her team is responsible for the new development and field support of pumps, gearboxes, and air turbine starters for airframers and engine manufacturers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Joe Barich is a registered patent attorney, who enjoys teaching engineering and law students about intellectual property, contracts, and other legal matters.
Joe has taught at the University of Illinois College of Law for more than 15 years and University of Illinois College of Engineering for more than 10 years. His courses include patent prosecution, Introduction to intellectual property, incorporation, funding, contracts, and intellectual property.
He founded and directed an IP clinic wherein law students have performed patent and trademark services for more than 200 startup companies.
As part of the UW-Madison's InterPro Masters of Engineering in Engineering Management program, Joe teaches engineering law, which provides practicing engineers with legal tools and insights that they can use to generate value in their careers-both immediately and as they advance.
Joe has been repeatedly named an Illinois SuperLawyer and has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching. He is also a senior member of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Job Titles:
- Advanced Controls Engineer at the PACCAR Technical Center
John Lahti is a powertrain advanced controls engineer at the PACCAR Technical Center in Mount Vernon, Washington. He has more than 30 years of experience in the motor vehicle industry, 20 patents related to powertrain control, and 10 published papers. He has a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a Professional Engineering license from the State of Michigan. Projects at PACCAR includes powertrain electrification, predicted cruise control, adaptive cruise control, engine control, aftertreatment control, and autonomous control. Other work experience includes engine air system controls at John Deere, hybrid controls at General Motors, and engine calibration at General Motors.
Job Titles:
- Lecturer
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Adjunct Professor of Civil
- Title
John Nelson is adjunct professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UW-Madison and chief technical officer for Fitzgerald Asset Management and Global Infrastructure Advisors-asset management and advising firms specializing in sustainable infrastructure investments. For 25+ years, Nelson served at Affiliated Engineers, and under his leadership as CEO, the engineering firm became nationally recognized for designing dynamic building systems for large and complicated projects. His background includes design, applications, and research of dynamic building systems, and management/technical consulting for the investment, design, manufacturing and construction industries. Nelson received an Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from UW-Madison. He also holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, Magna Cum Laude, and an honorary doctorate from other institutions.
Mr. Nelson is a lecturer in EPD 612 Technical Project Management and serves on the Nelson Institute and UW Foundation boards.
Job Titles:
- Director of Maintenance and Reliability Management and Technical Leadership Programs
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Director of Facilities and Building Systems Programs
- Title
Joy Altwies, PhD, PE, LEED AP+, is a Program Director for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Engineering Professional Development (EPD). For over 15 years, Dr. Altwies has developed and taught continuing education courses emphasizing high performance building design and construction, mechanical system design and operation, energy efficiency, and commissioning. She also develops and teaches graduate courses in the Master of Sustainable Systems Engineering (SSE) degree program. Prior to joining the University, Joy worked as a consulting engineer focusing on green building projects and commissioning. She is an active member of ASHRAE and the US Green Building Council.
Joy holds a Bachelor and Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering, and earned her Doctorate degree in Environment and Resources at UW-Madison. Her interdisciplinary research investigated the impact of building energy code policies on technology adoption in the commercial and residential building sectors.
Doctor Kaibo Liu is currently an associate professor at the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Graduate Academic Advisor
Job Titles:
- Title: Chair, Strategic Project Manager
Job Titles:
- Director of Power Engineering Programs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Director of Undergraduate Program Review
Laura Grossenbacher is Director of Undergraduate Program Review and Director of the Technical Communication Program in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin, and has been teaching courses in engineering communication and ethics for over 20 years.
In collaboration with colleagues Howard Rosen, Andi Bill, Kevin Rogers, Ned Paschke, and Joy Altweis, she has been teaching engineering ethics for continuing education credits to professional engineers since 2012. Laura has been developing ethics cases to use with a variety of different constituents, including engineers working for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, American Transmission Company, Madison Gas and Electric, WE Energies, Realtime Utility, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and the American Water Resources Administration. She has also taught ethics workshops for the Wisconsin Structural Engineering Code Refresher Annual Conference, the Wisconsin Concrete Pavement Association,and the Wisconsin Society for Landscape Architects, among others.
Her ethics workshops are designed to engage engineers in discussing and applying codes of ethics, moral theory,and behavioral science to practical cases in different engineering disciplines. She has taught applied engineering ethics to over 4500 engineers across the state of Wisconsin. Beyond her work with practicing engineers, she teaches online ethics courses for graduate students, as well as an undergraduate ethics course designed for geological engineering students.
She is a member of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE), the current co-chair of the APPE STEM Special Interest Group, and a reviewer for the Journal of Science and Engineering Ethics.
Job Titles:
- Graduate Academic Advisor
- Title
Job Titles:
- Director of Facilities and Building Systems Programs
Job Titles:
- Dow Construction Chemicals
Job Titles:
- Engineering Data Analytics
UW-Madison's academic reputation, research focus, and industry partnerships partners guarantee high-caliber staff for each of our online modules. Professors are dedicated to keeping students engaged, progressing, and confident that their learning goals are being met. Our academic advising will ensure you get the responsiveness and support you need, while keeping you on track in your studies.
Job Titles:
- Portfolio Manager for John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group
Michele is the Portfolio Manager for John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group. She leads the ISG Portfolio team, strategy and processes to ensure that Tech Stack research and development resources are deployed against top enterprise objectives.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Job Titles:
- Title: Director of Education Support, IT
Job Titles:
- Lecturer
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Title
Raj Kamal is a lecturer in the College of Engineering at UW-Madison, and the owner of Credens LLC, a management consulting firm based in the Madison, Wisconsin area.
He has 25+ years of industry and blue-chip consulting experience with both Fortune 500 and smaller organizations in manufacturing and distribution; financial services and insurance; and government and higher education. Raj also brings extensive expertise in program management; quantitative modeling; and statistical analyses.
He holds a Master of Science in Management from Purdue University, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, India, and a BA (with honors) in Economics from Delhi University, India.
In the Master of Engineering MEM program, Raj teaches EPD 611 - Engineering Economics and Management. Outside EPD, he also teaches operations management, statistics, strategy, information technology, and quality in the MBA program at Edgewood College, and has previously taught at Purdue University's Krannert School of Business.
Job Titles:
- Director of Power Engineering Programs
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
Stephen Ciatti received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, along with an MS & Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He has worked in a variety of transportation engineering roles throughout more than 30 years of his career. Powerplant engineer at Northwest Airlines, Locomotive Maintenance Supervisor at BNSF Railroad, and Engine Combustion Research Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. Past research work includes advanced diesel engine technology, hydrogen engine technology, and gasoline compression ignition (GCI).
His current position is Principal Engineer for Battery Systems at the PACCAR Technical Center in Mt. Vernon, WA. Current research work includes Battery Management Systems (BMS), particularly battery cell and pack testing for EV trucks, battery model development and validation, and development of SOC/SOH estimation algorithms. He has authored more than 100 publications and holds patents in the areas of engine technology and battery technology.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Applied Engineering Management Team
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Title
Steve is the retired executive director of the Center for Professional and Executive Development for the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He was formerly the executive vice president for human resources at Hewitt Associates and held other leadership positions with Harris Bank, Baxter International, and the Bank of Montreal.
Steve teaches in the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (MEM) program in the UW-Madison College of Engineering. He also teaches in the executive MBA program and various executive education programs for the UW-Madison School of Business. He is an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University Center for Executive Education and teaches for the business school at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Academic Director
- Title
Fredette is an associate teaching professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at UW-Madison. He is interested in the design, simulation, modeling, controls, and development of power conversion systems for alternative energy (wind, solar PV, fuel cells) and industrial (HVAC, elevator, traction) applications. Fredette has delivered innovative, producible solutions to the industrial, aerospace, and alternative energy fields.
He has acquired a wide range of industrial experience through work for United Technologies, Vestas Technology R&D, and American Superconductor (AMSC). He has a PhD from UW-Madison.
Job Titles:
- Director of Professional Programs for Interdisciplinary Professional Programs
- Director of Technical Leadership and Technical Project Management Programs
- Title: Director of Professional Programs
Susan Ottmann is the Director of Professional Programs for Interdisciplinary Professional Programs, in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She leads the non-credit professional programs and teaches courses in technical leadership and technical project management for both credit and professional development programs.
Susan has more than 25 years of industrial engineering experience in multiple engineering, marketing, manufacturing and leadership roles for a number of multinational companies. In the 10 years prior to joining UW-Madison, she led global business for Danaher and Thermo Fisher Scientific. In these roles she was responsible for teams in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Her education includes a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon and an M.S. in Management from North Carolina State University. She is active in the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. In her free time, Susan volunteers with the Goodwill VITA Tax Program and is a board member for the Lake Waubesa Sailing Club.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Engineering Management Team
- Senior Lecturer
- Title
Terry Mann is a senior lecturer with the UW-Madison College of Engineering, and has an active consulting practice assisting companies in the implementation of ISO quality and environmental management system requirements. He is an Exemplar Global Principal QMS Auditor, EMS Auditor, Medical Device Auditor and Senior ASQ Certified Quality Auditor. Terry teaches courses on quality engineering topics, including ISO Standards, Six Sigma, operations management, statistical process control, design of experiments, cellular manufacturing, and facilities layout. He earned his Master of Science degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the UW-Madison.
Job Titles:
- Faculty Director
- Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Polymer Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
- Title
Osswald is professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Polymer Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Osswald teaches polymer processing and designing with polymers and researches in the same areas. He has published over 200 papers, several books, and is the editor for the Americas of the Journal of Polymer Engineering and the English language editor for the Journal of Plastics Technology.
He has been consulted by several industries, is one of the co-founders of The Madison Group, and is in the Technical Advisory Board of several companies.
Osswald has PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Polymer Processing.