Developing the next generation of engineering experts and leaders
Essential Support From Industry
Over 3 days, the first Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC) Industry Forum provided global industry, HR, and academic leaders a platform to exchange, learn, and share ideas about how to collaborate to best develop the next generation of engineers. Invited delegates from global companies and innovative SMEs, along with engineering Deans from around the world came together to share knowledge, network and identify partnership and collaboration opportunities.We were able to launch this much-needed forum thanks to the support of our industry partners Total, National Instruments and Boeing who played a key role in leading discussions and shaping the event.
Creative Dialogue Around 8 Key Themes
The overarching aim of the Industry Forum was to draw on the collective strengths and expertise of every delegate present, ensuring that each and every voice was heard and every creative idea captured.
Dynamic Design Groups were created to discuss a series of eight themes developed by the Industry Forum working group led by Petrus Communications Founder and CEO Kirsten Williamson. In this film you can see the collective output summed up by our talented illustrator on the spot.
Read Report
100% of participants – senior industry and education leaders – said they were certain or highly likely to participate again.
Executive Secretary, GEDC & IFEES Secretary General
Dr. Hans Jürgen Hoyer is Executive Secretary of the GEDC and Secretary General of the IFEES. Based in Fairfax, USA, he is a Resident Scholar in Global Engineering at George Mason University and an Honorary Professor in Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, and Peru. He has been a Resident Scholar at MIT and Harvard and is on the board and advisor of various universities and companies.
Dean of Viterbi School of Engineering
Dr. Yortsos is the Chester F. Dolley Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and also holds the Zohrab A. Kaprielian Dean’s Chair in Engineering at USC. In his capacity as dean, Dr. Yortsos leads the Viterbi School with more than 6,000 undergraduate and graduate students, more than 300 faculty, and annual research expenditures
Vice President, Product Marketing for Software
Leads global team responsible for defining and promoting software technologies. David Wilson is ensuring proficiency development of National Instruments' platform in both education and industry. Joined National Instruments in 1991 and has held roles in sales and marketing. He is member of several corporate boards, is an avid maker, inventor and evangelist for STEM activities, and holds two patents. Holds a Bachelors degree in Physics from the State University of New York.
Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
My academic education took place at the University of Leiden, in the field of atomic physics. After obtaining my PhD I worked at the University of Colorado (JILA) and the University of Amsterdam. After that I joined TNO, working in the fields of space instrumentation and semiconductor equipment. Since June 1st 2017 I am Dean of the Aerospace Engineering faculty at the Delft University of Technology.
Executive Vice President Head of Engineering
Grazia Vittadini was appointed Executive Vice President Head of Engineering in January 2017, and is a member of the Executive Committee of Airbus Defence and Space. She started her career on the Italian side of the Eurofighter Consortium, before joining Airbus Operations in Germany in 2002 and setting on her path towards senior management positions.
VP Group R&D Strategy & Intelligence
Dr. Saubestre started his career in 1990 at Total and has worked in Operations, Business Development and R&D in seven countries. He is currently working at company headquarters in Paris to implement an R&D Strategy for the Total Group following a corporate reorganization supporting Total’s ambition to become the ‘Responsible Energy Major’.
Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
At MIT, Dr. Ortiz is currently the Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and served as the Dean for Graduate Education between 2010 and 2016. Dr. Ortiz is also the founder of a new nonprofit post secondary educational institution that seeks to create an inclusive and modernized model of science and technology-focused higher education.
Associate Professor and Dean of Engineering
Dr. Theresa Mkandawire is a trained civil engineer with over 19 years’ experience lecturing at University level specializing in water quality and supply, sanitation, wastewater treatment, and Water Resources Management. Dr. Mkandawire is also the first Vice President of Malawi Institution of Engineers.
Dean of Programmes
A serial entrepreneur, with a passion for unlocking value in organisations and people, Jens is the master designer of learning, development and innovation processes. He was a pioneer in e-learning and the internet economy, and spent years coaching companies on developing Blue Ocean strategies. Thought provoking, enthusiastic, supportive and thoughtful, he’s the catalyst of all the exchanges at CEDEP.
Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering
Prof. Jianbin Luo, a member of Chinese Academy of Science, has been working on lubrication theory and nanomanufacturing for more than 20 years. In 2013, he received the STLE International Award. He has published more than 300 papers, 2 books and holds more than 50 authorized patents
Matthew H. McCloskey Dean of Engineering
Dr. Kilpatrick is Chairperson of the GEDC, and author of more than 90 refereed journal articles in the areas of colloid and interfacial science, and molecular self assembly. He is also the holder of 13 patents and has been actively engaged in two startups.
University Relations
Dr. Diem Ho, member of the IBM Academy of Technology since 1995, is in charge of research collaborations, skill development, providing academic access to IBM resources, and promoting education reforms to meet industry needs and societal challenges. He is a frequent invited contributor to UNESCO, OECD and European Commission conferences on skills.
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, McMaster University, Canada
Dr. Puri is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is Dean of Engineering and Professor at McMaster University and a member of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Puri is the author of several books and archival papers and has founded technology startups. He served as chair of Engineering Deans Canada. He is the architect of The Pivot, a significant transformation of engineering education that embeds design thinking, innovation mindset and entrepreneurship in all programming. The Pivot transforms the curriculum through integrated project-based learning experiences, reimagines the classroom as a purpose-built studio, and amplifies experiential learning. Puri initiated the MacChangers program through which interdisciplinary teams of students work on local solutions for the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Founder and CEO, Petrus
Petrus is a multi-award-winning international design company that specialises in connecting employers with students and the global education community. Created in 2005 by Kirsten, Petrus now comprises a team of 20 research, communication, education and digital experts creating and implementing projects world-wide. Petrus designs and delivers impactful learning experiences and creative campaigns, bringing together companies, students and universities worldwide for skills development, innovation, brand communications, recruitment, and community engagement. Kirsten believes that everyone has potential, and her mission is to enable young people worldwide to achieve their potential and make a successful start to a fulfilling career, whatever they choose to do.
Dean of the Armour College of Engineering
Dr. Natacha DePaola serves as the Carol and Ed Kaplan Armour Dean of Engineering and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, USA.Dr. DePaola is the GEDC Chair Elect until October 2017, when she assumes the role of GEDC Chair, serving until 2019.
Head of International Publications for Research, CEVIPOF - Sciences Po, France
At the CEVIPOF, Chantal Barry is responsible for ensuring the international visibility of the research team and also leads a weekly seminar focusing on topics of intercultural and political interest. Since 2014, she has been a consultant at Petrus focusing largely on employability skills and cooperation between universities and the corporate world.
Divisional Head for Student Employability & Academic Success
Paul oversees a portfolio of careers and employability support, work-based learning, employer services,international experience, student engagement, academic skills and Widening Participation, working in senior roles for +25 years at the University-Business interface and speaks and provides consultancy both nationally and internationally.
Master Student
Zinyat Agharzayeva is highly passionate MS student with proven academic background both in research and taught studies, winner of numerical paper contests and holder ofB.Sc. degree in Petroleum Engineering with distinction from Istanbul Technical University. Currently, owner of TOTAL International Scholarship for pursuing double degree in Petroleum Engineering and Geo-Science at Texas A&M and IFP School.
Total is a leading energy player on the international stage, and the fifth-largest publicly-traded integrated international oil and gas company in the world. Almost 100,000 Total employees leverage their knowledge and expertise to discover, produce,refine and convert oil and gas into products and services for customers worldwide. Total is also developing energies that can partner oil and gas —today, solar energy and tomorrow, biomass fuels. As a responsible corporate citizen, Total focuses on ensuring that its operations consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
NI empowers engineers and scientists with a software-centric platform that incorporates modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem. This proven approach puts users firmly in control of defining what they need to accelerate their system design within test, measurement and control. NI’s solution helps build high-performance systems that exceed requirements, quickly adapt to change and ultimately improve the world.
NI empowers engineers and scientists with a software-centric platform that incorporates modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem. This proven approach puts users firmly in control of defining what they need to accelerate their system design within test, measurement and control. NI’s solution helps build high-performance systems that exceed requirements, quickly adapt to change and ultimately improve the world.
Total is a leading energy player on the international stage, and the fifth-largest publicly-traded integrated international oil and gas company in the world. Almost 100,000 Total employees leverage their knowledge and expertise to discover, produce,refine and convert oil and gas into products and services for customers worldwide. Total is also developing energies that can partner oil and gas —today, solar energy and tomorrow, biomass fuels. As a responsible corporate citizen, Total focuses on ensuring that its operations consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
NI empowers engineers and scientists with a software-centric platform that incorporates modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem. This proven approach puts users firmly in control of defining what they need to accelerate their system design within test, measurement and control. NI’s solution helps build high-performance systems that exceed requirements, quickly adapt to change and ultimately improve the world.
Total is a leading energy player on the international stage, and the fifth-largest publicly-traded integrated international oil and gas company in the world. Almost 100,000 Total employees leverage their knowledge and expertise to discover, produce,refine and convert oil and gas into products and services for customers worldwide. Total is also developing energies that can partner oil and gas —today, solar energy and tomorrow, biomass fuels. As a responsible corporate citizen, Total focuses on ensuring that its operations consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
NI empowers engineers and scientists with a software-centric platform that incorporates modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem. This proven approach puts users firmly in control of defining what they need to accelerate their system design within test, measurement and control. NI’s solution helps build high-performance systems that exceed requirements, quickly adapt to change and ultimately improve the world.
NI empowers engineers and scientists with a software-centric platform that incorporates modular hardware and an expansive ecosystem. This proven approach puts users firmly in control of defining what they need to accelerate their system design within test, measurement and control. NI’s solution helps build high-performance systems that exceed requirements, quickly adapt to change and ultimately improve the world.
To maintain the highly interactive nature of the event which allows every voice to be heard, participation is by invitation only with the number of places available deliberately low. We’d be delighted to hear from more potential participants and contributors so if you would like to receive an invitation, please get in touch: contact@gedc-industryforum.com
A small number of engaging, interactive sponsorship opportunities are available to support the event, our publications and outreach activity. Find out more here or contact dominic@petruscommunications.com
The Global Engineering Deans Council is a remarkable resource and network for leaders in engineering education – find out more about becoming a member of the GEDC here.