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Ashland O. Brown, Ph.D, P.E. is currently a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Pacific School of Engineering and Computer Science. He served as a Program Director in the Mechanical/ Civil Engineering Section of the National Science foundation from 1998 to 1999. He served as Dean of Engineering at the University of the Pacific from 1991 to 1998, and Dean of Engineering Technology at South Carolina State University from 1989 to 1991. He served as a Engineering Group Manager for Body Structures Design Group at General Motor Corporation in the Warren Technical Center from 1984 to 1989, and served as a Engineering Principal Engineer for a number of engine, and structural design groups at Ford Motor Company from 1977 to 1984. He served as a Research Engineer at Eastman Kodak Corporation from 1974 to1977. He received his M.S.(1970) and Ph.D.(1974) in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut in Storrs,CT and his B.S.(1966) in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. He is currently the PI at the University of the Pacific for the four year Collaborative National Science Foundation TUES DUE grant entitled" Improving Learning for Undergraduate Engineering Programs using Finite Element Learning Modules" a joint collaboration award with The University of Texas, in Austin. He has authored approximately 50 papers with over 20 on using finite element learning modules in undergraduate engineering. He was the PI for the initial four year NSF CCI grant entitled" The Finite Element Method Exercises for use in Undergraduate Engineering Programs ".

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DR. DAN JENSEN is currently a Professor of Engineering Mechanics at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, M.S. in Engineering Mechanics and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has worked as a practicing engineer for Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs and MSC Software Corp., as well as various consulting and expert witness positions. He also held a faculty position at University of the Pacific and is an adjunct faculty member at University of Texas, Austin. He has received numerous professional awards including a NASA Post-Doctorial Fellowship, ASEE Best Paper Awards, the ASME Most Innovative Curriculum Award, the Ernest L. Boyer - International Award for Excellence in Teaching, the US Air Force Academy Seiler Award for Excellence in Engineering Research and the Outstanding Academy Educator Award. He has published over 100 technical articles and generated approximately $3.5 million of research; all at institutions with no graduate program. His research includes development of innovative design methodologies and enhancement of engineering education. The design methodology research focuses on development and testing of strategies to enhance effectiveness of prototyping, improve design flexibility and advance reverse engineering and redesign processes. The educational research focuses on development and assessment of active learning (particularly hands-on) approaches to enhance education in engineering.

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Dr. Richard H. Crawford is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and is the Temple Foundation Endowed Faculty Fellow No. 3. He is also Director of the Design Projects program in Mechanical Engineering. He received his BSME from Louisiana State University, and his MSME and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He teaches mechanical engineering design and geometry modeling for design. Dr. Crawford’s research interests span topics in computer-aided mechanical design and design theory and methodology. Dr. Crawford is co-founder of the DTEACh program, a ”Design Technology” program for K-12, and is active on the faculty of the UTeachEngineering program that seeks to educate teachers of high school engineering.

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Dr. Joseph J. Rencis is the dean of engineering by the Clay N. Hixson Chair for Engineering Leadership, and professor of mechanical engineering at Tennessee Technological University. From 2004 to 2011, he was in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and was Department Head, inaugural 21st Century Leadership Chair in Mechanical Engineering, and professor. From 1985 to 2004, he was professor and director of Engineering Mechanics in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His research focuses on boundary element methods, finite element methods, atomistic modeling, and engineering education. He currently serves on the editorial board of Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements and the Journal of Online Engineering Education. He is an associate editor of the International Series on Advances in Boundary Elements. He currently serves as chair of ASEE Professional Interest Council (PIC) III. He received the 2002 ASEE New England Section Teacher of Year Award, the 2004 ASEE New England Section Outstanding Leader Award, the 2006 ASEE Mechanics Division James L. Meriam Service Award, and the 2010 ASEE Midwest Section Outstanding Service Award. Rencis is a fellow of ASEE and ASME. He received a B.S. from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1980, a M.S. from Northwestern University in 1982, and a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1985.

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Brock Dunlap is currently a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin studying active learning and prototyping methodology. He plans to graduate in May 2014 with a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus in design and manufacturing. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University.

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Dr. Kathy Jackson is a senior research associate at Pennsylvania State University’s Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence. In this position, she promotes Penn State’s commitment to enriching teaching and learning. Dr. Jackson works in all aspects of education including faculty development, instructional design, engineering education, learner support, and evaluation.

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Kyle Watson earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Villanova University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University. He has been a faculty member at the University of the Pacific since 2003 and has taught undergraduate courses in thermodynamics, heat transfer, combustion, air-conditioning, dynamics, and senior capstone design.

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Dr. Jiancheng Liu is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of the Pacific. Dr. Liu’s research experience and teaching interest have been in the areas of machine design and manufacturing engineering, with specific focuses on CNC machine tool design, mechanical micro machining, cutting process, flexible manufacturing system automation, sensing and control technology, and intelligent CAM technology. With his many years’ experience in industry and universities, Dr. Liu has published over 80 technical journals and conference papers. He was awarded four patents. Many of his research results have been successfully implemented as commercial products or practically applied. Among his many honors is the Industrial LEAD Award from SME.

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Dr. John J. Wood is currently an Associate Professor of Engineering Mechanics at the United States Air Force Academy. Dr. Wood completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University in the design and empirical analysis of compliant systems. He received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Wright State University and his B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1984. Dr. Wood joined the faculty at the United States Air Force Academy in 1994 while serving on active duty in the U.S. Air Force. After completing his Ph.D. in 2002, he returned to the Air Force Academy where he has been on the faculty ever since. The current focus of Dr. Wood’s research includes the development of robotic ground and air vehicle systems using innovative design techniques using current technology implementations, as well as futuristic projections. Dr Wood also publishes research on advances in the methodology for creative electromechanical systems design.

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Christopher Wejmar is currently in the blended program at the University of the Pacific and is in the process of completing his master’s of engineering science in mechanical engineering. He is also currently working as a research assistant for Dr. Ashland Brown.

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Paul H. Schimpf received the B.S.E.E (summa cum laude), M.S.E.E., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 1982, 1987, and 1995, respectively. Dr. Schimpf began his academic career in 1998, and is currently Chair of the Department of Computer Science at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, WA, USA. His research interests include numerical methods for forward and inverse solutions to partial differential equations, with biomedical applications. Prior to his academic career, Dr. Schimpf was employed as a Senior Principal Design Engineer in the electronics industry, where he enjoyed 13 years of experience developing parallel embedded signal and image processing systems.

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Chuan-Chiang Chen is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona since 2009. He earned his B.S. degree from National ChiaoTung University, Taiwan, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Ohio State University, all in the field of mechanical engineering. Prior to joining Cal Poly Pomona, he was an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Tuskegee University. His teaching and research interests include solid mechanics, system dynamics, measurements, noise, and vibrations.

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