# Dean Michael Jensen | Developing People, & How An Engineering Degree Can Be Used Beyond Engineering

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2023-06-16
- Length: 47m
- Episode: 23
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/dean-jensen-developing-people/

## Summary

Dean Michael Jensen, Dean of the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering at BYU and co-founder of Wavetronix, discusses the dual roles of academia and entrepreneurship. He explains that while his primary focus is mentoring students through research, he balances this with his company, Wavetronix, which manufactures radar systems for traffic management. Jensen emphasizes that engineering education must evolve to better teach soft skills and emotional resilience, arguing that an engineering degree provides transferable analytical skills valuable in non-traditional careers like management consulting.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=0) Introduction: Dean Michael Jensen and the role of engineering
- [1:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=83) Jensen's path from aerospace family background to academia
- [3:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=188) The reality of faculty life: research, teaching, and administrative duties
- [5:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=339) Transitioning from industry plans to a 30-year academic career
- [8:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=503) Academic expectations: funding, publications, and student mentoring
- [13:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=809) The shift to Dean: administrative responsibilities and letting go of teaching
- [15:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=915) Changes in engineering education: hands-on learning vs. soft skills
- [20:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=1242) Student mental health, social media, and emotional resilience
- [25:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=1509) Founding Wavetronix: from software licensing to traffic radar hardware
- [28:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=1718) Transferable skills: engineers in management consulting and leadership
- [36:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=2163) Industry-University collaboration: US vs. European models
- [41:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo#t=2500) Frustrations with imperfect solutions and the joy of problem-solving

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Wavetronix (company)
- Brigham Young University (other)
- Hewlett Packard (company)
- National Science Foundation (other)
- Bell Labs (company)
- Ernst and Young (company)
- Harvard Business Review (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Educating the Engineer of the Future with Dr. Kris Ropella](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [How to Build an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-06-04-how-to-build-an-engineer) (EE Times Current)
- [How Soft Skills Drive High-Impact Engineering Teams w/ Aaron Moncur](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-08-26-how-soft-skills-drive-high-impact-engineering-teams-w-aaron-moncur) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Ep. 12 | Why Open Online Courses Are the Future of Engineering Education feat. Anant Agarwal](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2020-11-06-ep-12-why-open-online-courses-are-the-future-of-engineering-education-feat-anant) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Why We’re Proud to Be Manufacturers & Engineers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-08-03-why-were-proud-to-be-manufacturers-engineers) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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