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Dr. Niaz Latif is the Dean of the College of Technology at Purdue University Calumet (PUC). He has served for two years as the Dean of the Graduate School and additional two years as the Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies at PUC. He has been Principal Investigator for National Science Foundation grants and US Department of Labor grant. He oversaw more than eighty sponsored research/project grants with a value of more than $20 million. He has authored/co-authored numerous refereed journal articles and peer reviewed conference proceedings articles. He is a commissioner of the ABET and also serves on the Board of Engineering Technology Council under American Society for Engineering Education. He is a fellow of the Academic Leadership Program under the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) of 10 Universities.

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Steve Wendel serves as Director of the National Center for Manufacturing Education (NCME), originally established as a National Science Foundation Center of Excellence in the NSF Advanced Technological Education Program, the NCME provides leadership development for deans, program chairs, faculty and other educational leaders in manufacturing and engineering technology. Steve is also the Director for the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Affiliate in Ohio. PLTW-OH has grown to over 400 programs nearly 190 school districts across Ohio preparing students for STEM career and college endeavors.

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Dr. Mohammad A. Zahraee is Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in College of Technology at Purdue University Calumet. He holds Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Illinois University, MS in Structural Engineering and PhD in Engineering Mechanics, both from University of Illinois at Chicago. Mohammad joined Purdue University Calumet in 1989 and was the Head of the Manufacturing Engineering Technologies and Supervision Department from 1996 through 2007. He was also acting head of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology Department from 2000 through December 2006. Mohammad is currently PI and Co-PI, working on several NSF and one DOL grant, totaling over three and half million dollars.
Zahraee served ABET from 1992 through 2010 as a program evaluator, commissioner (Accreditation Team Chair), as well as the Chair of the Engineering Technology accreditation commission of ABET during 2009-2010. He currently is a member of the ABET Board of Directors as a representative of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). As the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Mohammad has been successful in making the MS in Technology ptogram at Purdue University Calumet the second largest in the U.S.
Dr. Zahraee’s comprehensive vita, including grants and experience could be found at his personal website: www.zahraee.com

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Mr. Sikoski completed his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Kiril I Metodi in Skopje, Macedonia. He continued his education at Purdue University where he obtained his Masters of Science in Engineering. Intermittently, Mr. Sikoski has consulted for various institutions and organizations. In 1997, he started his career at Ivy Tech Community College where he has stayed until present. He served as a professor, program chair, dean, and the campus Vice Chancellor. As a program chair and dean, Mr. Sikoski was involved in developing several technology and engineering programs, including the Energy Technology and Pre-Engineering Program. Developing programs to meet industry workforce needs and student’s successes are his priorities. He served as an educational co-chair and chair of the curriculum committee of the Indiana Energy Consortium and as a member of the Executive Board of Association of Technology Management and Applied Science and a visiting team member. Additionally, he serves on the advisory boards for College of Technology at Purdue University Calumet, Purdue University North Central and the Porter County Career Center.

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Dr. Ronald J. Bennett, the Founding Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of St. Thomas, started teaching in the Engineering Graduate Program in 1987. He was active in buiding the engineering program, and in 1993 was named the Thwaits/3M Chair. During Bennett’s tenure at UST, he began several new degree programs, increased enrollments, introduced and developed the STEPs summer camp for girls and created the School of Engineering. Bennett holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire; a Master of Science in Metallurgical Engineering and PhD in metallurgy from the University of Minnesota; and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. Prior to joining the University of St. Thomas, Bennett held executive positions in industry for more than 20 years, working at BMC Industries, CPI (now Boston Scientific) and Teltech as well as in several entrepreneurial organizations. Bennett served as Executive Director of the Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (MnCEME). His current focus is on webinars and workshops on leadership for engineers in industry and academia. Bennett has a variety of academic publications, and is co-author with Elaine Millam of the 2012 McGraw-Hill book “Leadership for Engineers: The Magic of Mindset.” He has been active in SME's Manufacturing Education & Research Community and its Accreditation Committee. Bennett has served as an ABET Engineering Accreditation commissioner and has been leader of SME’s Center for Education.

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