Archives 2008
News Archives 2008
Center Hires Executive Director
Mankato MN, September, 2008- The Minnesota Center for Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence has hired Dr. Ronald J. Bennett as Executive Director beginning this September. The Minnesota Center for Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence is made up of lead university Minnesota State University, Mankato, and Alexandria, Anoka, and Hennepin Technical Colleges, Normandale Community College, South Central College and the Northeast Higher Education District.
Dr. Bennett has more than 40 years experience as a scientist, engineer, business executive, educator and leader working in both industry and academia. He was instrumental in introducing innovation processes and leading change in manufacturing, engineering and quality in the electronics and medical device industries. In 1993, he applied his experience and comprehensive understanding of industry in a new way and began teaching at the University of St. Thomas.
At the University of St. Thomas, Bennett introduced a broad range of innovations that expanded the leadership skills of working students. Building on the success of the graduate program, he recruited industry to provide input and developed undergraduate engineering programs, resulting in the formation of the School of Engineering, one of only three new engineering schools established in the United States in the past decade. Bennett was named Founding Dean of the School.
With a passion for engineering education, Bennett sees the “mission of the Center to prepare students to meet the needs of Minnesota industry. Minnesota’s economic strength begins with education.”
Receiving his PhD in metallurgy and an MS in metallurgical engineering from the University of Minnesota, Bennett completed an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in 1980. A enthusiastic learner, he knows that “helping students build confidence in their ability to learn and fostering the notion that learning is constant will give Minnesota industry a base of workers ready to take on new challenges.”
“The opportunity to build a strong technical infrastructure through the work of the Center is appealing, challenging and invigorating. I look forward to my new role as Executive Director,” comments Bennett.
Bennett was a 2007 recipient of the first Minnesota High Tech Association Tekne Award. He was designated as Community Champion for helping further technology expansion in Minnesota. He serves on the Postsecondary and Workforce Sciences Readiness working roups of the Minnesota P-16 Education Partnership, guiding the development of science and engineering standards in the K-12 education system.
Bennett also works to support manufacturing and engineering on a national level. He served as an organizer of a national forum this year on Manufacturing Education Leadership through the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and as an SME representative on the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the official accrediting body for engineering programs. He is a published author on innovation, engineering ethics, leadership, reshaping graduate engineering education and industry/academic partnerships.
Bennett also works to support manufacturing and engineering on a national level. He served as an organizer of a national forum this year on Manufacturing Education Leadership through the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) and as an SME representative on the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the official accrediting body for engineering programs. He is a published author on innovation, engineering ethics, leadership, reshaping graduate engineering education and industry/academic partnerships.
