My current research interest integrates concepts of the circular economy into modern engineering management practice. Specifically, my goal is to explore the use of natural, biodegradable or recyclable materials in applications currently dominated by plastics. Sustainable products and packaging are needed in today's world, and the goal of my research is to explore better options using Cradle-to-Cradle design methodologies.
keywords
sustainable engineering, sustainable product development, social entrepreneurship, and the focus on use of materials and materials technology in sustainable business development
EMEA 5021 - Product Cost and Investment Cash Flow Analysis
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Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Summer 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This first course in the finance specialization discusses costs and business practices to establish the cost of a product. The concept of time value of money (TVM) is developed to determine the present and future values of a series of cash flows. TVM principles are then applied to personal finances and retirement planning. This is a practical course that uses spreadsheets extensively to better prepare students in engineering and science for a career in industry.
EMEA 5022 - Project Valuation and the Capital Budgeting Process
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Summer 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This second course in the finance specialization describes the economic viability of an engineering project through application of net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period analysis. The impacts of depreciation, taxes, inflation and foreign exchange are then addressed. The capital budgeting process is discussed, showing how companies make decisions to optimize their investment portfolio. Risk is mitigated through application of quantitative techniques such as scenario analysis, sensitivity analysis and real options analysis.
EMEA 5023 - Financial Forecasting and Reporting
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Summer 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This third and final course in the finance specialization discusses how public projects are evaluated using cost-benefit analysis. Students then learn how interest rates and prices for stocks and bonds are determined. Techniques are presented on how to create departmental budgets for engineering cost centers and pro forma statements for profit centers. Students then work with corporate financial statements to assess a company�s financial health, including recent measures of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).
EMEA 5216 - Sustainability and the Circular Economy
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This first course in the Applied Sustainability specialization discusses the need to shift from today�s linear economy to a circular one. The course begins with the sustainability imperative and introduces the Anthropocene. It then shifts to solutions, detailing the rapid transition to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and the design of more environmentally responsible buildings. The course closes with an overview of the circular economy, and how it is integrated into these solutions.
EMEA 5217 - Applied Sustainability Engineering
Primary Instructor
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Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This second course in the Applied Sustainability specialization discusses the techniques used by engineers and scientists to develop and assess the environmental impact of products and processes. It discusses carbon and water footprints and how they are determined. Topics then address the different approaches to environmental analysis, including life cycle assessment, energy and material flow analysis, and eco-audits. The course concludes definitions of what constitutes circular product and packaging design.
EMEA 5218 - Leading the Circular and Sustainable Business
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2024
This final course in the Applied Sustainability specialization discusses the business case for circularity. Topics include design of production and operations and ensuring circularity throughout the supply chain. The course then examines the marketing of circular products and what distinguishes true marketing from greenwashing. Finance is impacted by circularity and is addressed through Triple Bottom Line accounting. Finally, the course concludes with how individuals can become agents of change in the organizations where they work.
EMEA 5401 - Strategic Product Development
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This first course in the product development specialization discusses how companies create new products that customers want while achieving their financial objectives. We begin by defining the product strategies necessary to ensure a company�s long-term growth. We then explore the different product development processes used by high-tech businesses today, such as Stage-Gate and Lean/Agile techniques. We conclude illustrating the tools to build the high-performance teams that take the development process from concept through product launch.
EMEA 5402 - Managing the New Product Development Process
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This second course in the product development specialization goes into the product development process in detail. With the opportunity defined, we begin with ideation techniques such as Design Thinking to create new product concepts. We then define the tools to create product specifications that meet customer requirements, and then conceptualize different ways of meeting those requirements. With finally explore prototyping and the techniques used to down-select to a concept that is then carried through launch.
EMEA 5403 - Product Innovation Management
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Summer 2024 / Fall 2024
This third course in the product development specialization discusses a product�s life cycle with the strategies to ensure long-term success. We begin with an overview of digital product development and how it differs from physical products. Students are then introduced to product roadmaps and forecasting techniques, and apply these in creating a compelling financial business case. We conclude with how sustainability impacts product development today and how to design innovative products for a circular economy.
EMEN 4100 - Engineering Economics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2024
Introduces engineering cost concepts, financial statements and the corporate economic environment. Includes concepts and methods of analysis of the time value of money, project cost estimation, cash flow analysis, replacement analysis, risk management and financial case statements.
EMEN 4820 - Entrepreneurial Product Development
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019
Organizations are increasingly looking for employees with training and experience in design thinking and innovation. This course will look at product development through a design thinking lens. In addition, this course will be teamwork-oriented, but you will also complete readings and independent activities that will support the group work and ensure your depth of knowledge.
EMEN 5020 - Finance for Engineering Managers
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2024
This course empowers technical managers to make better financial management decisions about issues like capital budgeting, project selection, financial planning, and working capital management. The course also covers topics essential to engineering managers communicating outside of engineering, including interpreting financial statements, the time value of money, and determining financial metrics of NPV and IRR in project valuation. Special topics covered include triple bottom line accounting and sustainability reporting as part of corporate risk management initiatives. Recommended prerequisites: beginning algebra and familiarity working with Excel spreadsheets.
EMEN 5094 - Technology Entrepreneurship
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020
This course is designed for engineers, project managers, and technical leaders interested in learning how to leverage technology to solve problems and meet emerging market demands. Students learn how to apply a holistic approach that engages an entrepreneurial mindset with methods like entrepreneurial systems thinking and opportunity pattern recognition to identify and address target customer needs. The course empowers students with the knowledge, skills, and methods needed to create and launch a new technology company.
EMEN 5215 - Applied Sustainability for Engineering Managers
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2020 / Summer 2023 / Fall 2024
Provides students the tools to integrate sustainability into business. The course explores why social and environmental sustainability are important, and how successful companies are incorporating sustainability as a core strategy. It then addresses the engineer�s role in developing sustainable products through principles of the circular economy and life cycle assessment. The course culminates with a discussion of triple bottom line accounting, and how companies use the sustainability report to demonstrate progress toward their sustainability goals.
EMEN 5315 - Business Law for Engineering Managers
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2022
Provides engineering students an introduction to important areas of business law likely to be encountered as technology and engineering managers. Topics include fundamental legal concepts, intellectual property and strategy, contracts, data privacy and product liability. The course uses experiential and practical approaches and exercises to enable the student to identify and address critical legal issues in real-world business contexts.
EMEN 5316 - Engineering and the Legal Process
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2021 / Fall 2023
Provides engineering students the experience of working through a product litigation case, beginning with understanding why products fail, to the various stages of the litigation process culminating in a mock trial where engineers are �on the stand� as expert witnesses. This course meets concurrently with LAWS 7343, engaging both engineering and law students in the same learning environment.
EMEN 5400 - Technical Product Development
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2023
Product Development introduces contemporary methods like design thinking and sustainability for the circular economy to identify and create products and services that address verified customer needs and problems. By focusing on solutions and benefits offered, the course takes a project-based approach from ideation, concept development, and prototyping to customer validation, pricing, and productization. Students learn how to present their product concepts to senior management or potential investors and showcase their prototypes in a tradeshow-like setting.
EMEN 5825 - Intrapreneurship & Innovation
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019
Learn a comprehensive set of business concepts, skills and tools to launch and manage intrapreneurial ventures. Engage with faculty, classmates, guest speakers, industry professionals, potential customers and one's leadership team to help you launch your venture. Develop the necessary skills, tools and awareness to be successful colleagues, managers and leaders in scientific and engineering industries. Gain valuable business acumen using a hands-on and learning environment.
EMEN 5830 - Special Topics
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2019 / Fall 2019
May be repeated up to 9 credit hours.
EVEN 3550 - Sustainability Principles for Engineers
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2022
An introduction to sustainability principles in the field of environmental engineering. Students will apply these principles to engineering problems in order to evaluate the environmental, economic and social implications of engineering and design decisions. Topics include definitions of sustainability, main engineering sustainability challenges (e.g., water, climate and materials), pollution generation and prevention and sustainability assessment tools.
