Manufacturing Education & Accreditation Committee Chair Kolleen SchneiderVice President of Customer ExperienceAndersen Corporation Kolleen Schneider is the Vice President of Customer Experience at Andersen Corporation, manufacturer of America’s most loved brand of windows and doors. In this role, Kolleen leads a team of customer service professionals focused on delivering exceptional experiences to homeowners and building supply companies, and providing dedicated support to architects, builders, and contractors. During her 25 years with Andersen, Kolleen has held a variety of roles including senior director of supply chain planning, plant manager and other leadership positions in the areas of engineering, information technology, logistics, and new product development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering and a Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems from the University of St. Thomas. Kolleen is actively involved in industry organizations. She has been a volunteer for ABET for over 12 years, serving as program evaluator, team chair and commissioner. She currently serves on the ABET Industrial Advisory Council and the ABET Board of Delegates and is Chair of the Manufacturing Education & Accreditation Committee at SME. In 2021, Kolleen was named ‘Outstanding Leader Transforming Manufacturing’ by Smart Manufacturing Magazine. Past Chair John Irwin, EdDProfessor, Mechanical Engineering TechnologyChair, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology Department, College of EngineeringMichigan Technological University Dr. John Irwin is a tenured Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology and Chair of the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology Department in the College of Engineering, at Michigan Technological University. In addition, he is Director of the Research and Innovation in STEAM Education (RISE) Institute at Michigan Tech. He has a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Irwin is PI for an NSF S-STEM grant until 2025. He is experienced in the manufacturing industry as well as the teaching profession with five years in engineering design, several years part-time consulting in industry and over 30 total years of teaching. Dr. Irwin’s research focus is on teaching and learning in computer aided design, analysis, & manufacturing subjects. Areas of teaching expertise are Parametric Modeling, FEA Methods, Computer Aided Manufacturing, Statics, Strength of Materials, and Product Design and Development. Vice Chair Ismail Fidan, PhDProfessor of Engineering Technology and Director of the University's Maker SpaceTennessee Tech University Dr. Fidan is a professor of Engineering Technology and director of the University's Maker Space at Tennessee Tech University. Since he joined the university, he received three sabbatical positions at Nigde University, Turkey as a Fulbright Senior Scholar, Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a Research Scientist, and Micro-Nano Technology Education Center at Pasadena City College as Visiting Scholar. He currently holds several editorship positions at IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology, Inventions Journal, Progress in Additive Manufacturing Journal, ASEE Journal of Engineering Technology, and Journal of Advanced Technological Education. He has 200+ published papers in peer-reviewed journals and proceedings. He is the recipient of the 2003 SME Jiri Tlusty Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, 2014 SME Award of Merit, and 2016 & 2018 SME Distinguished Faculty Advisor Awards. His teaching and research interests are in Additive Manufacturing, Electronics Manufacturing, STEM Education, Distance Learning, and Remote Laboratories. He is a member and active participant in SME, ASEE, ABET, AFS, and Tennessee Academy of Science. Commitee Members Jeffrey A. Abell, PhD, FASME, FSME, CMfgE, PEGeneral Motors Dr. Jeffrey Abell is the Director and Chief Scientist for Global Materials & Manufacturing Systems Research at General Motors. He is responsible for GM’s global manufacturing research strategies and activities including vehicle electrification, lightweight materials processing, automation, SMART Manufacturing, and systems & controls. Dr. Abell previously participated on a team that received $105M DOE grant for battery pack manufacturing and continuous improvement. He has developed several first-in-industry battery manufacturing technologies, including ultrasonic weld process monitoring and reconfigurable battery assembly systems resulting. Dr. Abell’s current research efforts include advanced propulsion, lightweight systems manufacturing, scalable and low-volume reconfigurable systems, and machine learning. Dr. Abell’s global experience includes work assignments in Portugal and Germany as well as leading global teams. Dr. Abell is three-time recipient of General Motors "Boss" Kettering Award, the highest technical honor given to General Motors employees. Dr. Abell’s professional activities include: SME Board of Directors; chair of the Education and Accreditation Committee for SME; chair of the ABET Industrial Advisory Council; Dean's Advisory Council, Kettering University; Advisory Board for Mechanical Engineering, Lawrence Technological University. He is a licensed professional engineer; and has been elected Fellow of both ASME and SME. SME Member Since 2006 Dan BeeProfessor of Practice/Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout Dan Bee is a twenty-year veteran faculty member with the Robert F. Cervenka School of Engineering at University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, WI and has helped develop and lead the manufacturing engineering programs during his tenure there. Currently, he is a lead facilitator of senior design projects for both the manufacturing and mechanical engineering programs and is in the process of creating a manuscript of case studies on the framework for teamwork and problem solution approaches utilized by UW-Stout. He has a deep commitment to all things sustainable and developed Stout’s successful Sustainability Minor, which is common with students across the university. He and his wife have recently completed building their own new passive house. Dan has master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in manufacturing systems engineering and mechanical engineering, respectively. Prior to and during a recent hiatus from Stout, Dan has a rich history of industry experience in military aircraft design and manufacture, computer assembly, paper products manufacture, and extruded plastics manufacturing. While in the academic settings, Dan has served numerous leadership roles including program director for the B.S. and M.S. in Manufacturing Engineering programs, coordinator of the Sustainability Minor, and department chair of the Engineering & Technology Department. While away from UW-Stout from 2010 to 2017, Dan also served as the Associate Dean for Sustainability and Associate Dean of Integrated Technologies at Western Technical College in La Crosse, WI. He has been an active member of the ASEE Manufacturing Division and serves as a Program Evaluator for manufacturing related engineering programs for ABET. Mel CossetteExecutive Director and Principal Investigator for the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education funded project Online Instructional Resources for Material Science Technology Education Formerly the Executive Director and Principal Investigator for the NSF ATE-funded projects Online Instructional Resources for Material Science Technology Education (MatEdU); Technician Education in Additive Manufacturing & Materials (TEAMM); and the National Resource Center for Materials Technology Education. All were housed at Edmonds College in Lynnwood, WA. Currently, she is a Co-PI on the Micro Nanotechnology Education Center housed at Pasadena City College, CA, PI on a NOAA funded project: Restoration for All, and serves as an ABET ETAC Commissioner. Mel has 20+ years of experience in manufacturing, has developed technician education and training programs for industry and educational institutions, serves on numerous committees and national boards and has worked in various industries prior to holding administrative positions in the community and technical college system. Bob Dummer, PE, CPMSynovis Life Technologies Inc. (retired) Bob Dummer has worked in Manufacturing for over 45 years. Providing leadership in various industries – most recently the Medical Device industry. He has led plant relocations, assembly line automation and efficiency improvements, new product launches and supporting documentation for various regulatory bodies. He has mentored several middle school robotics teams and is also serving as a mentor for undergraduate engineering students. Bob has started several Lean/Continuous Improvement initiatives at the different companies he has worked at was recognized for his efforts when Synovis Surgical Innovations was named Manufacturer of the Year. Bob has a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Minnesota and an M.S. in Manufacturing Systems from the University of St. Thomas. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and is currently enjoying retirement. Yalcin Ertekin, PhD, CQE, CMfgEClinical ProfessorAssociate Director of Engineering Technology for UndergraduatesDrexel University Yalcin Ertekin, Ph.D., CMfgE, CQE Yalcin Ertekin is a clinical professor in the College of Engineering, Department of Engineering Leadership and Society at Drexel University, Philadelphia, and serves as the Associate Department Head for Undergraduate Studies for the Engineering Technology program. He received his BS degree from Istanbul Technical University in Turkey, an MSc in Production Management from the University of Istanbul, an MS in Engineering Management, and an MS and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri Rolla. Dr. Ertekin has also been a Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE), awarded by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) since 2001, and a Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) awarded by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) since 2004. In addition to positions in the automotive industry, Dr. Ertekin has held faculty positions at Western Kentucky University and Trine University. In 2010, he joined Drexel University's College of Engineering as an associate clinical professor. He has been instrumental in course development and the assessment and improvement of the Engineering Technology curriculum, including integrated laboratories, project-based learning, and practicum-based assessment. Dr. Ertekin serves as the faculty advisor for the student chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (S058) and is a member of the College’s Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. He is also a program evaluator for ABET’s Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission representing the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Involved in research, Ertekin has received funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), private foundations, and industry. His research has focused on the improvement of manufacturing laboratories and curricula and the adoption of process simulation into machining and additive manufacturing practices. His areas of expertise are in CAD/CAM, manufacturing processes, machine and process design with CAE methods, additive and subtractive manufacturing, quality control and lean manufacturing. Morteza Sadat-Hossieny, PhDProfessorNorthern Kentucky University B.S. Mechanical Engineering Tech., Oklahoma State University, M.S. Manufacturing Engineering Tech., Murray State University, Ph.D. Industrial Technology & Edu., Iowa State University Area of Concentration: CAD, CAM, CNC, Quality Control, Robotics & Industrial Automation Interests: Engineering/Technology Education, Engineering Technology Curriculum Development and Program Assessment Michael D. Johnson, PhDProfessor and Associate Provost for Academic EnhancementTexas A&M University Dr. Michael D. Johnson is a professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution (ETID) at Texas A&M University. He also serves as Associate Provost for Academic Enhancement. He previously served as Interim Associate Vice President for Faculty Aff airs and Interim Associate Provost for Faculty Success. Prior to joining the Provost’s team, Dr. Johnson was Associate Dean for Inclusion and Faculty Success in the College of Engineering. Before joining the faculty at Texas A&M, he was a senior product development engineer at the 3M Corporate Research Laboratory in St. Paul, Minnesota. He received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Michigan State University. Dr. Johnson received his S.M. and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Johnson’s research focuses on production economics, engineering education, and design tools. Dr. Johnson has over 100 peer reviewed publications and several patents. His research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and industry. Dr. Johnson is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), SME, and a senior member of IEEE. He served as the president of the Tau Alpha Pi Engineering Technology Honor Society national board from 2014-2018. He has served as chair of the ASME Mechanical Engineering Technology Leadership Committee. He is also a member of the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET Executive Committee. Dr. Johnson has won several departmental and college-level awards for teaching, research, and service. He is also an ASEE National Engineering Technology Teaching Award and Fredrick J. Berger Award winner. Neil Littell, PhD, PMPAssociate Professor, Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Department of Engineering Technology and ManagementOhio University Dr. Neil Littell is an Associate Professor and Kraft Family Scholar at Ohio University within the Russ College of Engineering and Technology in the Department of Engineering Technology and Management. Dr. Littell is a certified PMP and earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Leadership and Workforce Development (2013) from Mississippi State University. Dr. Littell also received a Masters in Technology from Mississippi State University (2005). Additionally, he holds Bachelor of Science degrees in both Industrial Technology and Trade and Technical Studies from Mississippi State University (2004). Dr. Littell also has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Drafting and Design from Holmes Community College (2002). Dr. Littell is an accomplished business manager with more than 15 years of experience providing results-oriented leadership. His previous positions include the PLM Coordinator at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at Mississippi State University from 2004-2008. He was Director at Large for Dassault Systemès Community of Experts, COE, the World’s largest users group of Dassault PLM products from 2008 to 2012. Dr. Littell is passionate about helping companies implement digital engineering solutions to enable them to develop products faster, with fewer resources, and with higher quality. He frequently works as a consultant on engineering data management projects for many companies, including some Fortune 100 companies. Tom McDonald, PhDProfessor of the Department of Engineering and Director of the Manufacturing Engineering ProgramUniversity of Southern Indiana Dr. Tom McDonald is a professor in the Department of Engineering and Director of the Manufacturing Engineering program at the University of Southern Indiana. He has worked in a variety of industries including textiles and the motion control industry. He received his B.S. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University and his Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering with an emphasis in Management Systems from Virginia Tech. Dr. McDonald is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Dr. McDonald has served as a PEV for ASEE since 2021 and for SME since 2022. Eric McKellTeaching Professor of Manufacturing EngineeringBrigham Young University Eric McKell is a Teaching Professor of Manufacturing Engineering, at Brigham Young University, He specializes in CAD/CAM, material removal processes, and tool design. Professor McKell received his B.S. in Manufacturing Engineering Technology and his M.S. in Manufacturing Engineering, both at Brigham Young University. He has industrial experience with several companies, including Boeing, Specified Fittings, Grizzly Industrial, and Heath Techna. Prior to coming to BYU, he taught Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Western Washington University for 14 years. In 2011, he joined BYU as a professional faculty member. Professor McKell teaches several undergraduate and graduate courses in Manufacturing Engineering, including CAD/CAM, material removal, tool design and manufacturing leadership. One of his hobbies, that relates to his teaching areas, is the design and manufacture of ukuleles. This initially started out with sheet metal forming and has moved to machining the entire ukulele out of aluminum. Jianbiao John Pan, PhD, F.IMAPSProfessor, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing EngineeringCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Dr. Jianbiao John Pan is Professor in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, CA. He served as Professor and Chair in the Department of Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management at California State University Northridge (CSUN) from 2022 to 2024. He received a Ph.D. degree in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA. Dr. Pan's research interests lie in materials, process, thermal management, and reliability of microelectronics and electronic packaging. Dr. Pan is a recipient of IMAPS William D. Ashman – John A. Wagnon Technical Achievement Award (2022), IMAPS Outstanding Educator Award (2011), and SME M. Eugene Merchant Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award (2004). He has served as the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Microelectronics and Electronic Packaging since 2012 and an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology from 2011 to 2018. He is a Fellow of IMAPS, a senior member of IEEE, a senior member of ASQ, and a senior member of SME. He is an ABET evaluator for SME. Daniel G. Sanders (Retired)Senior Technical FellowBoeing Research & Technology Daniel G. Sanders, FSME, FASM started his career in industry as a machinist in 1977, which led him to become an accomplished tool & die maker. Since then, he studied for multiple engineering degrees, all while working full-time concurrently at Boeing for a total of 42 years. He completed a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the U.W. (2008). As a Senior Technical Fellow for Boeing Research & Technology, he worked to develop innovative manufacturing & materials technologies for aerospace products using methods such as friction stir welding, laser welding, superplastic forming, diffusion bonding, castings, linear friction welding, machine design, applied robotics, surface finishing, shot peening, testing of new titanium alloys and the advancement of several emerging additive manufacturing (AM) processes. Dr. Sanders is a strong advocate of lifelong learning and is currently very active as an affiliate professor for the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Washington (U.W.). He currently serves as one of SME’s volunteers in support of ABET accredited manufacturing programs. As a hobby, Dr. Sanders enjoys tunneling in his hard rock gold mines located in the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington State. He also serves as a volunteer firefighter & rescue officer for the Kittitas County Fire District #7. Iqbal Shareef, PhDProfessor of Industrial and Manufacturing EngineeringBradley University Dr. Iqbal Shareef is a Professor of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, USA. He holds a BS, MS, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering, along with postdoctoral research experience in the field. Throughout his tenure at Bradley, he has taught both graduate and undergraduate courses, including Manufacturing Processes, Design for Manufacturing, Optimal Design, and Tribology. Dr. Shareef has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and proceedings and has contributed to more than 100 PE examination items as a member of the SME Professional Regulations Committee and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). His professional experience includes serving as a NASA Faculty Fellow for four summers and as an Argonne National Labs Faculty Fellow for two summers. He has also completed four sabbaticals at Caterpillar Inc. as a Senior Engineering Specialist in R&D and continues to serve Caterpillar as a consultant. Additionally, Dr. Shareef is actively involved with ABET as a Team Chair and EAC Commissioner. Dr. Shareef is a Fellow of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and ASM International, and he is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois. He regularly serves as a reviewer for multiple academic journals and is a member of several professional organizations, including ASM, ASME, SME, TMS, ISPE, NSPE, Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma Xi. Jyhwen Wang, PhD, FSMEProfessor, Engineering Technology and Industrial DistributionTexas A&M University Jyhwen Wang is a professor of engineering technology and industrial distribution at Texas A&M University. He received his PhD in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University in 1991. Prior to joining Texas A&M, he was a researcher and R&D manager at Weirton Steel Technology Center in Weirton, West Virginia. Dr. Wang’s research interests are in the design and analysis of manufacturing processes. He has conducted research on high strength steel applications in metal packaging, plastic deformation of layered materials, and metal and polymer based additive manufacturing. Dr. Wang served as an associate editor for ASME Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering and was a commissioner of ABET/ETAC. He is serving on the SME Accreditation and Education Committee and on the editorial board of ASEE Journal of Engineering Technology. Dr. Wang is a recipient of the SME/NAMRI outstanding paper award, SME Education Foundation Research Initiation Grant, and NSF CAREER Award. He is a member of ASEE and a fellow of SME and ASME. Ex-Officio Tony Schmitz, PhD, FSMEUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville Tony Schmitz, PhD, FSME, received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Temple University in 1993, his master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Florida (UF) in 1996, and his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from UF in 1999. Tony completed a post-doctoral appointment at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and was employed as a mechanical engineer from 1999-2002. He accepted an appointment in the UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in 2002 and joined the Mechanical Engineering Department at UNC Charlotte in 2011. Tony joined the Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) in 2019 with a joint faculty position at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. His most recent appointment is director of the Southeastern Advanced Machine Tools Network (SEAMTN), a consortium of companies, colleges and universities, national laboratories, non-profit organizations, and the Tennessee state government that seeks to strengthen the U.S. industrial base by investing in machine tool research and development, education, workforce development, and supply chain support. He continues his manufacturing research in support of the U.S. machine tool industry with an emphasis on machining dynamics, metrology, machine learning, and additive manufacturing. SME Member Since 2004. Mission SME's Manufacturing Education & Accreditation Committee serves through benchmarking, identification, definition and assistance in the implementation of manufacturing education activities and accreditation standards and guidelines. The committee functions in an advisory role for these activities to the SME Board of Directors. General Responsibilities The Committee’s primary responsibility is to represent SME in activities related to the accreditation globally of manufacturing education programs in engineering, engineering technology, industrial technology and related manufacturing education programs. It coordinates representation and input on accreditation visits, processes and policies, defining appropriate requirements for manufacturing programs and advocating for and promoting the quality of manufacturing programs through accreditation. The Accreditation Committee is an International Standing Committee reporting to the Executive Committee. Ongoing Agenda in Support of SME Strategic Plan Promote the benefits of postsecondary manufacturing education programs based on the Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge and accreditation of these manufacturing education programs globally through engagement of academia and employers. Maintain the currency and relevancy of manufacturing program accreditation criteria to contemporary manufacturing environments and practices and ensure they are forward looking. Identify, recruit and train the best manufacturing education and industry leaders to support and become engaged for development of innovative manufacturing education programs and engagement in accreditation activities. Formally recognize people, institutions and companies for excellence in their support and engagement in manufacturing accreditation. SME Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge Use the Four Pillars to improve the breadth and depth of the engineering and engineering technology graduates you hire! Learn More SME-ABET Accredited Programs Download PDF
