From Practitioner to Professor

Don Winter, former Secretary of the U.S. Navy and a retired senior executive of Northrop Grumman Corp., will teach a graduate-level class on the development of complex systems as part of the Professor of Engineering Practice program in the College of Engineering.

Stepping back into an engineering classroom at his alma mater for the first time in 40 years unleashed a flood of mixed emotions for automotive engineer Harvey Bell, who retired in 2008 from General Motors Corp. after a 39-year career.

"It was a big shocker to realize how much the field of engineering and engineering education has changed over the four decades since I graduated from the University of Michigan," says Bell, who received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1970, an era when students still used slide rules and punch cards.

Yet, for Bell, there was also a sense of pride in the fact that he and his generation helped create much of the technological innovation that ushered automotive engineering into the 21^st century. And he felt a desire to give back and impart to aspiring young engineers some of the know-how he acquired during his tenure at GM.

This fall, Bell had that opportunity when he accepted an offer from the College of Engineering to become a Professor of Engineering Practice and co-director of the Multidisciplinary Design Program. In his new role, he will share his professional engineering and senior-level management experience with students through guest lectures. He also will serve as an advisor to students engaged in multidisciplinary design-build projects. His first assignment: coaching a team entered into the SAE Supermileage competition, an annual collegiate-design judging of fuel-efficient vehicles.

"This is a way I can provide practical insights from industry and augment the students' classroom education," says Bell, who held a number of top engineering posts at GM. "Selecting real-world projects that replicate what students will experience when they enter the workplace will position them as very desirable employees. Company sponsors also will have an opportunity to evaluate potential future hires."

The College of Engineering launched its Professor of Engineering Practice program this year in an effort to forge closer connections between the collegiate classroom and the world of engineering practice. "We believe our students' educational experience can be enhanced by engaging people who have had distinguished careers in industry and government," says Jack Hu, associate dean for academic affairs and professor of mechanical engineering at the College of Engineering.

Initially, four highly accomplished individuals from different sectors were selected to hold three-year appointments as non-tenure track faculty members. In addition to Bell, the first cohort includes:

Jim Bagian, an engineer, medical doctor and astronaut, who is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine, and who came from the Veterans Administration Hospital system. He will initiate a research and educational program in health engineering.

Larry Burns, an automotive executive who served as General Motors' vice president of research and development and strategic planning. He will focus on energy policy and transportation.

Don Winter (MS '70, PhD '72), former Secretary of the U.S. Navy and a retired senior executive of Northrop Grumman Corp. He will teach a graduate-level class on the development of complex systems.

"We see this program as an opportunity to enhance the technical knowledge imparted by the College of Engineering and expand students' skills in business, communications and teamwork," says Michael Drake, director of corporate relations at the College of Engineering. "This enhanced skill set will enable our graduates to make a much greater impact on the organizations that employ them after college."

More information: Contact Bekah Ashley, managing director of academic affairs, at bekahb@umich.edu or 734.647.7035 or visit www.engin.umich.edu/.