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Olivier de Weck’s research is in the fields of Engineering Systems and Astronautics. He studies how new technologies and designs enable complex systems such as vehicles, missions, and industrial ecosystems and how they evolve over time. His group develops both quantitative theories and practical methods such as the Isoperformance approach, the Adaptive Weighted Sum (AWS) method for resolving tradeoffs amongst competing objectives, Time-expanded Decision Networks (TDN), and Generalized Multi-Commodity Network Flow (GMCNF) theory. Prof. de Weck has authored or co-authored four books, about 400 scientific articles and won thirteen best paper awards since 2004. His book “Engineering Systems: Meeting Human Needs in a Complex Technological World” was the 2012 bestseller at the MIT Press. In 2010 he received the Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising and in 2017 an MIT Teaching with Digital Technology Award. He is a Fellow of INCOSE, Fellow of AIAA, and a Senior Member of IEEE. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Systems Engineering, and more recently as Senior Vice President for Technology Planning at Airbus. Since 2019 he is the Faculty Co-Director of the Bernard M. Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program, and since 2021 the Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics at MIT.

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Reza Rahaman is the Bernard M Gordon Industry Co-Director and Senior Lecturer for the MIT Technical Leadership and Communication Programs - the Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP), the Bernard M. Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program (GEL), the Graduate Engineering Leadership Program (GradEL), and the School of Engineering Communication Lab. Dr. Rahaman returned to MIT in 2018 after a 29 year career in the Consumer Packaged Goods, Pharmaceuticals, and Agricultural Chemical Industries.

Immediately prior to MIT, Reza was the Vice-president of Research, Development, and Innovation for the Specialty Division of the Clorox Company. In that role he was accountable for developing innovation strategies for a diverse set of businesses and ensuring robust technology roadmaps and innovation pipelines to deliver growth and profit targets for 45% of the Clorox Company portfolio ($2.7bn in net customer sales).

Among his businesses were Brita, Burt’s Bees, Glad, Hidden Valley Ranch, Fresh Step, and Kingsford Charcoal. Notable product platforms developed and launched under his leadership include Brita filter-as-you-pour, Burt’s Bees Natural Cosmetics, Glad Force Flex Plus and Force Flex Plus Advanced Protection (dual layer technology) and Fresh Step Clean Paws.

In addition to his passion for developing leaders, Reza is passionate about workplace equality and served on the Board of Directors of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, the world’s premier nonprofit promoting LGBT+ workplace equality from 2016-2021. He and his husband James enjoy travel and hiking

Reza received his BSc.(Eng.) in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College, University of London, and his MSCEP in Chemical Engineering Practice and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT.

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Joel Schindall, PhD, Professor Emeritus MIT EECS, and Advisor for the Bernard M. Gordon - MIT Engineering Leadership (GEL) programs.

After receiving BS, MS and PhD degrees from MIT in the 1960’s, Dr. Schindall had a 35-year career in aerospace and telecommunications, including President of Loral Conic (1986-1994), and Senior VP and Chief Engineer of the $4 billion LEO Globalstar satellite communication system (1994-2002). In 2002 he returned to MIT as the Bernard Gordon Professor of the Practice of Product Development in MIT EECS, where he also served, from 2007 to 2018, as the Founding Industry Co-Director of the Bernard M. Gordon - MIT Engineering Leadership (GEL) program. During his leadership of GEL, his responsibilities also grew to include the Undergraduate Practice Opportunity Program (UPOP), the Graduate Engineering Leadership Program (GradEL), and the School of Engineering Communication Lab (Comm Lab). Dr. Schindall is a Fellow in the IEEE for his work on satellite communication systems.

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