Tag: university administration

Wayne Weaver Named Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair

MTU clocktower with green grass and blooming flowers in front on a sunny day.
Wayne Weaver, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, has been named the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering chair.

Wayne W. Weaver has been named chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering, effective July 1. Weaver will lead the ECE department, which supports more than 600 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students, for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Wayne Weaver
Wayne Weaver is an MAE professor and associate chair and director of graduate studies. He will serve as the ECE chair for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Weaver, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and an ECE-affiliated faculty member, spent more than 11 years serving in his primary appointment with the ECE department as the associate chair and director of graduate studies for the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE). Weaver teaches courses on topics of propulsion systems for hybrid electric vehicles and linear systems theory and design. 

“Wayne brings a strong background of leadership in research and education. I’m looking forward to working with him and ECE to lead the way in these exciting times of energy transition and digital acceleration,” said Michelle Scherer, dean of the College of Engineering. 

Weaver received his BS in electrical engineering and BS in mechanical engineering from Kettering University, then known as the GMI Engineering & Management Institute. He went on to receive his MS and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Prior to joining Michigan Tech in 2007, Weaver worked as a research and design engineer at Caterpillar Inc., and as a research engineer for the US Army Corp of Engineers at the Engineering Research Development Center and Construction Engineering Research Lab. Weaver’s research interests include power electronics, microgrids, energy conversion, electrified propulsion systems and non-linear and optimal control. He also currently serves as the associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems.

Patrick Pinhero Named Department of Chemical Engineering Chair

-STEM Building exterior during a sunset with green grass and trees on campus.
Patrick Pinhero, former professor of chemical engineering at the University of Missouri, has been named chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Chemical Engineering.
Patrick Pinhero
Patrick Pinhero, former professor of chemical engineering at the University of Missouri, has been named chair of Michigan Tech’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

Patrick Pinhero has been named chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering, effective July 1.

Pinhero joins us from the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at the University of Missouri, where he was a professor of chemical engineering for 18 years. He served as department chair and co-chair, as well as the director of research for the University of Missouri’s nuclear engineering program. He is a leading researcher in understanding how material interfaces control and regulate chemical processes. 

“We are so very fortunate to be welcoming Patrick to our Husky pack to lead our Department of Chemical Engineering!” said Michelle Scherer, dean of the College of Engineering. “The department is recognized nationwide for its research and innovative course design and safety practices and I’m thrilled to have someone with Patrick’s track record of administrative and research leadership joining us.”

Andrew Swartz Named Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Chair

Aerial photograph of Dow Environmental Sciences and Engineering Building and Electrical Energy Resource Center during a sunset; Keweenaw Waterway in the background.
Andrew Swartz, associate professor of civil, environmental, and geospatial engineering, has been named CEGE department chair.

R. Andrew Swartz has been named chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering (CEGE) at Michigan Tech’s College of Engineering, effective July 1. Swartz will lead the CEGE department, which supports more than 500 undergraduate students and 100 graduate students, for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Andrew Swartz
Andrew Swartz is a CEGE associate professor and associate chair of curriculum. He will serve as department chair for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Swartz is an associate professor of civil, environmental, and geospatial engineering and currently serves as the CEGE associate chair of curriculum. He teaches courses on topics of steel design, structural timber design, continuous-system modeling, and advanced structural analysis. Swartz is also an affiliated associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. He serves as the faculty advisor for the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Student Steel Bridge Competition team

“Andrew is an expert in developing sensors and computing for structural applications and has been instrumental in creating and delivering curriculum to prepare our students to tackle complex infrastructure challenges,” said Michelle Scherer, dean of the College of Engineering. “Andrew brings a strong background of leadership in structures research and engineering education, and I’m looking forward to working with him and CEGE to continue to lead the way in engineering a better world.”

An MTU alumnus, Swartz earned his BS in civil engineering before going on to receive his MS in civil engineering, MS in electrical engineering: systems, and PhD in civil engineering from the University of Michigan. His research interests include applications of sensors and computing for structural systems including load characterization, structural health monitoring, and structural control for civil infrastructure assets such as buildings, bridges, pipelines, wind turbines, roadways, and railroads.