肯•菲利普斯

Longtime professor 肯•菲利普斯 is helping transform advanced manufacturing education.

肯•菲利普斯, former chair and associate professor of industrial design, is helping build the curriculum for 密歇根州立大学丹佛’s new degree in advanced manufacturing sciences. The degree will integrate mechanical, electrical and civil engineering technology, 航空航天科学, 计算机科学, computer information systems, operations management and industrial design. It will be the cornerstone of the University’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, which will be housed in the Aerospace and Engineering Sciences Building that is set to open in 2017.

After three decades of teaching for 密歇根州立大学丹佛, 菲利普斯, himself a 1983 industrial and technical studies graduate, was asked to put his July 2014 retirement plans on hold so that he could lend his expertise to the complex project of designing a curriculum that addresses the need for non-engineering professionals, 行业优先. The curriculum includes general requirements, 核心课程, electives and eight different concentrations.

“We have done a lot of vetting with industry representatives to fill a unique educational niche,菲利普斯说,

adding that graduates will be immediately qualified to work in Colorado’s aerospace industry, which is ranked second in the nation.

Challenging his students to step up their game to ultimately find career success always has been 菲利普斯’ mantra. Former student Brian Ward (B.S. industrial design ’2000) can vouch for that.

“I was doing fine in the program, but it wasn’t until I met Ken that I became inspired to work hard,沃德说。. “密歇根州立大学丹佛 and Ken played a huge role in transforming my life.”

The hard work has paid off: Ward is now senior engineer for Baxter Healthcare, where he works on a team that develops leading-edge medical devices and runs the prototype/machine shop.

菲利普斯’ dedication to 密歇根州立大学丹佛 might very well have started when his father 肯•菲利普斯, Sr. was named the first permanent president of the institution in 1966.

当时还是个青少年, the younger 菲利普斯 jokes that, “坦率地说, I wasn’t paying that much attention. But I knew my father was passionate about Metro’s mission.”

It’s a passion 菲利普斯 came to share and one that has grown even stronger with the aerospace and advanced manufacturing initiative.

“This will benefit our students with great learning opportunities and our industry partners by providing a workforce that’s prepared to help them flourish. I’m a firm believer in real-world educational experiences and this program can become a standard-bearer for that!”