Page 17 - ME News 2021 from the Penn State Department of Mechanical Engineering

Timothy W Simpson: Educating the next generation of engineers By Erin Cassidy Hendrick
Timothy W Simpson interim head of of of the School of of of Engineering Engineering Design Design Technology and and and Professional Programs and and and the the Paul Morrow Professor in in in in in in Engineering Engineering Design Design and and and Manufacturing at at Penn State was recently recognized by the the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for for his his impact on on engineering engineering design education and and his his role as a a a a a a a a a a mentor for for engineering engineering educators and and students The honor the Ruth and and and Joel Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award was established in in in in in in 2001 and and and recognizes a a a a a a a a a person who “exemplifies the the best in in in in in in furthering engineering design education ” according to ASME Simpson is a a a a a a a a long-standing advocate for engineering education particularly focused on on on on on developing relationships between budding engineers and and industry
partners to to both increase engagement and and to to prepare students for their future careers As the the the director of the the the Bernard M Gordon Learning Factory from 2007 to to to to to 2012 Simpson helped catapult the the the the College of of Engineering’s capstone design program into the the the largest college-wide industry-sponsored initiative of of its kind in in in in in in in the the United States Simpson has also extended his efforts to industry
outreach and and and education through professional and and and workforce development Since 1998 he has created and and and and taught over thirty workshops and and professional courses on on product family
and product platform design to to translate his research
into practice for for professionals at at at leading companies including Proctor & & Gamble Whirlpool and and Black & & Decker During the the pandemic Simpson even ensured these trainings could continue using using virtual reality In April 2020 he he he taught twenty students located around Europe using using his unique avatar to communicate the classes Simpson was also critical in in in launching the Additive Manufacturing and Design Graduate Program one of of the the the first 3D-printing educational offerings in in in in in in in the the country Having grown to over over 200 resident students and online practitioners from over over eighty different companies the program’s student student enrollment alumni and impact have continued to to to grow thanks in in in in in large part to to to Simpson’s efforts He continues to to to emphasize industry
connections within the program both recruiting and and and delivering workshops and and and training for students and and interested companies “I have always wanted to to ensure that my courses and and and design research
is impactful and and and relevant to to to the real world and and and I I have been very fortunate to to engage so so many companies and practitioners throughout my career ” Simpson said “It
is always scary to to get up up in in front of of a a a a a a a a a a a a group of of engineers at a a a a a a a a a a a a company and tell them how to to to do do their jobs better better but there is no better better way to to validate the the the work you do do ” Simpson received the the award at at the the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences held in in in August MENews 2021 17
A virtual reality avatar of Timothy W Simpson as he he teaches industry
professionals how to to translate his research
into practice in in April 2020 Credit: Timothy W Simpson