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Dr. Robert Pieri is Professor of Mechanical Engineering at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in
Fargo, ND. He has many conference publications on engineering education and design. His primary
interest areas include: Engineering Education, CADD, Design, Fracture Mechanics, Materials Science and
Alternative Energy Options. Prior to joining NDSU, he worked for Allied-Signal Corporation and in the
aircraft supply industry. Prior to his industrial experience he taught for 10 years at the US Air Force
Academy. Prior to his time at USAFA, Bob was a Research & Development Engineer with the US Air
Force, studying problems of pollution in the earth’s atmosphere. One of his dissertations involves the
environment and policy decisions that could affect it. Dr. Pieri has degrees from the University of
Massachusetts at Amherst, Thayer School at Dartmouth College and Carnegie – Mellon University in
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. For the academic year 2003- 2004, Bob was on the faculty at Turtle Mountain
Community College in Belcourt,N.D. where he taught Math and Engineering classes. This is the basis for
his current interest in Native Americans into Engineering. Bob, originally from the northeast area of the
USA, has been a resident of Fargo, ND since 1996.

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Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Karl Haefner, Collaborative Team Member
University of Phoenix, M.A.e.d., Secondary Education, 2008
Grand Valley State University, B.S. Geology, 2004
Saginaw Valley State University, B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 1988

Mr. Haefner is an engineering instructor at Cankdeska Cikana Community College, where he is actively working to build the Pre-Engineering Department. He assisted with writing the AMI accreditation report to the HLC, wrote several successful grants, and managed CCCC’s Advanced Manufacturing Curriculum and Pre-Engineering Educational Consortium. In addition the Advanced Manufacturing initiative at CCCC has hired two undergraduates to run the 3-D/Scanner Laboratory. The aforementioned gives the students hands on training in a STEM related field.

Mr. Haefner has 13 years’ experience teaching college STEM courses. He has taught construction management at Westwood College in Chicago; mathematics at Mid-Michigan Community College and Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI. Mr. Haefner has taught algebra, engineering statics, several HVAC courses, several CMT classes, as well as AutoCAD and Advanced Manufacturing using SolidWorks. Mr. Haefner also has over 15 years; experience in the fields of civil, geo-technical and environmental engineering at companies including: Testing Service Corporation in Carol Stream, IL; Singh & Associates in Chicago, IL, Weaver, Boos and Gordon in Chicago, IL; STS Ltd. In Grand Rapids, MI.

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Austin Allard is an Engineering Instructor at Turtle Mountain Community College. He earned a doctorate degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University. His work deals with using manufactured drones to map ecological areas. He is dedicated to using engineering solutions to investigate environmental issues close to home.

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Mike Parker received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from North Dakota State University. He served in the US Army as a reliability engineer and vehicle test officer. He has been an agricultural producer in his home state of ND as well as being involved in local manufacturing and oil well hydraulic fracturing. He is currently an instructor at Cankdeska Cikana Community College in the Pre-engineering program.

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Dr. Josh Mattes grew up in Indiana. He received his PhD in Physics from Purdue in 2013. His research interests are foundations of quantum mechanics, finite temperature quantum field theory, and STEM education.

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Lori Nelson began her professional experience as an Industrial Engineer working the capacity of business process manager for a major U.S. aerospace manufacturing firm. This role provided functional consulting for supply chain with key ownership responsibility ensuring appropriate data design of master data, IT architecture and solution design for all ERP solutions across the organization.

She holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching Mathematics from Minot State University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Management from North Dakota State University, and post-masters certificate in Experiential Education through Equine Assisted Learning from Prescott College.

Currently she serves as the Land Grant Director and also as PI of the Pre-Engineering Education Collaboration (PEEC) Grant at Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College in New Town, ND. In addition, she teaches Mathematics and Equine Studies courses.

Her and her husband, Chris, live and raise Angus beef cattle, near Towner, ND. In her spare time, she enjoys riding horses and providing community outreach through relational horsemanship through the Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College Horse Nation program. Currently she serves on the board of directors for an engineering firm that specializes in transportation engineering and materials testing.

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