Contact: sottmann@wisc.edu

Susan Ottmann is a graduate program director in the Office of Interdisciplinary Professional Programs at UW–Madison’s College of Engineering. She leads the non-credit professional programs and the online degrees in manufacturing systems. She teaches courses in technical leadership and technical project management for both credit and professional development programs.Susan has more than 25 years of industrial engineering experience in multiple engineering, marketing, manufacturing and leadership roles for many multinational companies. In the 10 years prior to joining UW–Madison, she led global business for Danaher and Thermo Fisher Scientific. In these roles, she was responsible for teams in North America, Europe and Asia.

Her education includes a BS in mechanical engineering and an BS in engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon and an MS in management from North Carolina State University. She is active in the Society of Women Engineers and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. In her free time, Susan volunteers with the Goodwill VITA Tax Program and is a board member for the Lake Waubesa Sailing Club.

Contact: studentservices@interpro.wisc.edu

Libby is the graduate academic advisor for the following online graduate engineering programs:

• Manufacturing Systems Engineering (MSE)
• Engineering Data Analytics (MEDA)
• Electrical and Computer Engineering: Power Engineering
• Power Conversion and Control Capstone Certificate (PCC)

In this role, Libby supports all aspects of the student life cycle, including recruitment, admissions, new student orientation, academic advising, monitoring of progress towards the degree, course and enrollment management, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, funding, course and/or program assessment and academic program review.

Prior to her role at UW–Madison, Libby served as a Graduate Advisor for the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at UC Santa Cruz and as Admissions Coordinator for the College of Sciences & Mathematics at Belmont University. Before that, Libby was an Enrollment Adviser for the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus online degree programs. Throughout her career in education, she has facilitated graduate student advising, provided departmental leadership and administrative support and coordinated a variety of large events that support student success. Libby understands the challenges and requirements for success in graduate education and hopes to assist students in achieving this significant accomplishment.

Contact: frank.pfefferkorn@wisc.edu

Dr. Pfefferkorn is a professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Mechanical Engineering and the director of the manufacturing systems engineering program. He earned his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and is currently focused on building a scientific understanding of advanced manufacturing processes.Dr. Pfefferkorn’s research primarily focuses on discrete metal part manufacturing processes, specifically where the tool interacts with the workpiece. He is an associate member of the International Academy of Production Engineering (CIRP), highlighting his recognition and involvement in the field. Dr. Pfefferkorn has also received prestigious awards, such as the 2007 Kuo K. Wang Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Machine Tool Technology Research Foundation equipment loan award.

He’s held significant positions outside of academia, including serving as the assistant director for research partnerships in the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He also has a visiting professorship at the Technical University of Vienna, funded by the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation, allowing him to build research collaborations in advanced manufacturing between TU Wien and UW–Madison.

Contact: kamal3@wisc.edu

Raj Kamal is a lecturer in the College of Engineering at UW–Madison and the owner of Credens LLC, a management consulting firm based in the Madison, Wisconsin, area.He has 25+ years of industry and blue-chip consulting experience with both Fortune 500 and smaller organizations in manufacturing and distribution, financial services and insurance, government and higher education. Raj also brings extensive expertise in program management, quantitative modeling and statistical analyses.

He holds a master of science in management from Purdue University, an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, India, and a bachelor of arts (with honors) in economics from Delhi University.

In the master of engineering MEM program, Raj teaches EPD 611: Engineering Economics and Management. Outside EPD, he also teaches operations management, statistics, strategy, information technology and quality in the MBA program at Edgewood College. Previously, he taught at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business.

Contact: kliu8@wisc.edu

Dr. Liu is an esteemed engineering professor specializing in system informatics and data analytics. His research focuses on utilizing the data fusion approach to model, monitor, diagnose, forecast and make decisions in complex systems. His work has garnered widespread recognition across multiple research communities, including quality, statistics, reliability and data mining.Notably, Dr. Liu has received several prestigious awards, including the Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award by SME, the Feigenbaum Medal Award by ASQ and the Dr. Hamed K. Eldin Outstanding Early Career IE in Academia Award by IISE. He has also been the recipient of several best paper awards from INFORMS and ISERC, as well as featured articles in IIE and INFORMS magazines. Dr. Liu’s research has been supported by esteemed organizations such as NSF, ONR, AFOSR, DOE and industry partners.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and engineering management from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a master’s degree in statistics and a doctoral degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Contact: peter.lukszys@wisc.edu

Pete Lukszys teaches courses in supply chain management in the undergraduate, MS/MBA and professional development programs at the Wisconsin School of Business. His industry experience ranges from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. He was the founding CEO of Atrility Medical, a UW spin-off that developed and launched a product used to monitor arrhythmias (which is currently in use in pediatric ICUs).Pete was head of corporate supply chain management and the US SAP implementation leader at EMD/Merck and held manufacturing management roles at Abbott Labs. He has served as a supply chain consultant and expert witness, advising organizations in the agriculture, automotive, biotech, defense, health care manufacturing, transportation and wind energy industries.

He has been recognized with teaching and service awards including the Mabel W. Chipman Outstanding Teaching Award from the School of Business, the Marketing Professor of the Year by the Mu Kappa Tau student organization and the COVID Resilience Service Award for providing emergency response logistics analytics support to the university during the early stages of the pandemic.

Pete is APICS-certified in production and inventory control. He received an MBA in supply chain management and a BS in industrial engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Contact: tmmann@wisc.edu

Terry Mann is a senior lecturer with the UW–Madison College of Engineering and has an active consulting practice assisting companies in the implementation of ISO quality and environmental management system requirements. He is an Exemplar Global Principal QMS Auditor, EMS Auditor, Medical Device Auditor and Senior ASQ Certified Quality Auditor.Terry teaches courses on quality engineering topics, including ISO Standards, Six Sigma, operations management, statistical process control, design of experiments, cellular manufacturing and facilities layout. He earned his master of science in manufacturing systems engineering from UW–Madison.

Contact: russell@engr.wisc.edu

Dr. Russell is vice provost for lifelong learning, dean of continuing studies, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-founder of the Construction Engineering and Management program at UW–Madison. Over the last 25 years, he has earned a reputation as a leader in lifelong learning, adult education, continuing education, engineering education, construction engineering and management and civil engineering. Dr. Russell earned his PhD in civil engineering from Purdue University.In the Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (MEM) program, Dr. Russell co-teaches EPD 612 Technical Project Management. In the Civil and Environmental Engineering department, Dr. Russell teaches CEE 498 Construction Project Management and CEE 578 Senior-Level Capstone Design.

Contact: jxu25@wisc.edu

Contact: cyauch@wisc.edu

Dr. Yauch is the director of the Center for Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) and a professor of practice in industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She conducts industry training workshops on how to implement QRM and how to design cells for production and office operations. Dr. Yauch advises student projects for companies that are members of the QRM Center and teaches classes on QRM, manufacturing processes and manufacturing systems analysis.Prior to her current job, Dr. Yauch worked at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Versa Technologies and McDonnell Douglas. She has a bachelor of science in industrial engineering from Purdue University, as well as master of science degrees in sociology and manufacturing systems engineering. She earned a PhD in industrial engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Contact: szhou@engr.wisc.edu

Dr. Zhou is a professor in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Dr. Zhou has taught courses on facilities planning and computer-integrated manufacturing and has directed graduate student research and independent study.His research interests are in the areas of modeling, diagnosis and control of complex manufacturing processes through data analytics. He has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Department of Energy, to name a few. He has authored and co-authored dozens of papers and received the NSF CAREER Award in 2006.

Dr. Zhou holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Contact: xding86@wisc.edu

Dr. David Ding is a lecturer within the MS Manufacturing System Engineering program. Dr. Ding serves as the Associate Dean at the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Management at UW-Stout. Furthermore, he also holds the position of Director of the School of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Stout.Boasting over three decades of expertise spanning both industry and higher education, Dr. Ding has excelled in various roles, including regional division leader at multiple Fortune 500 organizations. His illustrious career is fortified by a profound understanding of digital transformation, manufacturing automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, underscored by certifications earned from esteemed institutions such as MIT, Oxford University, the Wharton School, and Harvard University.

Dr. Ding’s research portfolio encompasses diverse domains, including manufacturing system design, digital transformation, Industry 4.0, IoT, and Cyber manufacturing systems. His pioneering work consistently advances the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in these critical fields.

Educationally, Dr. Ding holds a PhD and Master’s degree in Industry and System Engineering from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. His academic journey also includes a BS degree in Economics from the Tsinghua University in China.

Contact: studentservices@interpro.wisc.edu  

Libby is the graduate academic advisor for the following online graduate engineering programs:

• Manufacturing Systems Engineering (MSE)
• Engineering Data Analytics (MEDA)
• Electrical and Computer Engineering: Power Engineering
• Power Conversion and Control Capstone Certificate (PCC)

In this role, Libby supports all aspects of the student life cycle, including recruitment, admissions, new student orientation, academic advising, monitoring of progress towards the degree, course and enrollment management, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, funding, course and/or program assessment and academic program review.

Prior to her role at UW–Madison, Libby served as a Graduate Advisor for the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at UC Santa Cruz and as Admissions Coordinator for the College of Sciences & Mathematics at Belmont University. Before that, Libby was an Enrollment Adviser for the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus online degree programs. Throughout her career in education, she has facilitated graduate student advising, provided departmental leadership and administrative support and coordinated a variety of large events that support student success. Libby understands the challenges and requirements for success in graduate education and hopes to assist students in achieving this significant accomplishment.

Contact: fredette@wisc.edu

Dr. Fredette is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at UW–Madison. He is interested in the design, simulation, modeling, controls and development of power conversion systems for alternative energy (e.g., wind, solar PV, fuel cells) as well as industrial (e.g., HVAC, elevator, traction) applications. Dr. Fredette has delivered innovative, producible solutions to the industrial, aerospace and alternative energy fields.He has acquired a wide range of industrial experience through work for United Technologies, Vestas Technology R&D and American Superconductor (AMSC). He has a PhD from UW–Madison.

Contact: giri@engr.wisc.edu

Dr. Venkataramanan is a professor in electrical and computer engineering at UW–Madison. He specializes in various areas, including the application of power electronics in building lighting, climate conditioning, industrial motor control, electric generation, transmission and distribution and transportation systems. His expertise extends to renewable power generation systems, as well as the operation and control of microgrids and smart grids in distributed generation, energy storage, combined heat and power and electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.Dr. Venkataramanan received the Benjamin Smith Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008.

He received a bachelor’s degree from the Government College of Technology in Coimbatore, India, and received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Contact: mzinn@wisc.edu

Dr. Zinn is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research interests are broadly directed at understanding and overcoming the design and control challenges of complex electro-mechanical systems with a primary focus on human-centered robotics.Dr. Zinn teaches Advanced Robotics, Dynamic Systems and Control Systems, among other courses. He also directs graduate student research and advanced independent study. Prior to joining UW–Madison, he was director of systems and controls engineering at Hansen Medical where he helped to develop the world’s first commercially available, minimally invasive flexible surgical robotic system.

He has more than 10 years of electro-mechanical system design and manufacturing experience in aerospace and high-technology industries. Dr. Zinn received his BS and MS from MIT and a PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

Contact: studentservices@interpro.wisc.edu

Libby  is the graduate academic advisor for the following online graduate engineering programs:

• Manufacturing Systems Engineering (MSE)
• Engineering Data Analytics (MEDA)
• Electrical and Computer Engineering: Power Engineering
• Power Conversion and Control Capstone Certificate (PCC)

In this role, Libby supports all aspects of the student life cycle, including recruitment, admissions, new student orientation, academic advising, monitoring of progress towards the degree, course and enrollment management, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, funding, course and/or program assessment and academic program review.

Prior to her role at UW–Madison, Libby served as a Graduate Advisor for the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at UC Santa Cruz and as Admissions Coordinator for the College of Sciences & Mathematics at Belmont University. Before that, Libby was an Enrollment Adviser for the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus online degree programs. Throughout her career in education, she has facilitated graduate student advising, provided departmental leadership and administrative support and coordinated a variety of large events that support student success. Libby understands the challenges and requirements for success in graduate education and hopes to assist students in achieving this significant accomplishment.

Contact: fredette@wisc.edu

Dr. Fredette is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at UW–Madison. He is interested in the design, simulation, modeling, controls and development of power conversion systems for alternative energy (e.g., wind, solar PV, fuel cells) as well as industrial (e.g., HVAC, elevator, traction) applications. Dr. Fredette has delivered innovative, producible solutions to the industrial, aerospace and alternative energy fields.He has acquired a wide range of industrial experience through work for United Technologies, Vestas Technology R&D and American Superconductor (AMSC). He has a PhD from UW–Madison.

Contact: giri@engr.wisc.edu

Dr. Venkataramanan is a professor in electrical and computer engineering at UW–Madison. He specializes in various areas, including the application of power electronics in building lighting, climate conditioning, industrial motor control, electric generation, transmission and distribution and transportation systems. His expertise extends to renewable power generation systems, as well as the operation and control of microgrids and smart grids in distributed generation, energy storage, combined heat and power and electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.Dr. Venkataramanan received the Benjamin Smith Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008.

He received a bachelor’s degree from the Government College of Technology in Coimbatore, India, and received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Contact: mzinn@wisc.edu

Dr. Zinn is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. His research interests are broadly directed at understanding and overcoming the design and control challenges of complex electro-mechanical systems with a primary focus on human-centered robotics.Dr. Zinn teaches Advanced Robotics, Dynamic Systems and Control Systems, among other courses. He also directs graduate student research and advanced independent study.

Prior to joining UW–Madison, he was director of systems and controls engineering at Hansen Medical where he helped to develop the world’s first commercially available, minimally invasive flexible surgical robotic system.

He has more than 10 years of electro-mechanical system design and manufacturing experience in aerospace and high-technology industries. Dr. Zinn received his BS and MS from MIT and a PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.