# Educating the Engineer of the Future with Dr. Kris Ropella

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2019-11-11
- Length: 1h 00m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Dr. Kris Ropella, Dean of the Opus College of Engineering at Marquette University, discusses the evolution of engineering education to produce creative, diverse, and ethical leaders rather than just technical experts. She highlights the E-Lead program, which teaches leadership and innovation to undergraduate students, and emphasizes the importance of integrating business acumen and customer-centric design into the curriculum. Ropella shares anecdotes about student projects, such as designing women's steel-toed shoes, to illustrate the need for manufacturability and real-world problem solving. The conversation also covers her personal approach to leadership, drawing parallels between ballroom dancing and engineering creativity, and the shift toward servant leadership in modern organizations.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=0) Introduction: Dr. Kris Ropella and the Changing Face of Engineering
- [7:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=433) Explaining Functional MRI and Ropella's Path to Biomedical Engineering
- [14:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=856) Marquette's Strategic Priorities: Diversity, Leadership, and Ethics
- [24:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=1467) Curriculum Reform: Active Learning, Multidisciplinary Teams, and Customer Focus
- [32:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=1968) Ballroom Dancing, Creativity, and the E-Lead Program
- [43:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=2632) Continuing Education for Professionals and Industry Partnerships
- [50:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2019-11-11-educating-the-engineer-of-the-future-with-dr-kris-ropella#t=3008) Diversity, Inclusion, and Servant Leadership in Manufacturing

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Marquette University (company)
- Opus College of Engineering (company)
- Marquette Electronics (company)
- Hewlett-Packard (company)
- E-Lead (product)
- Audible (product)
- Innovators DNA (other)
- The Power of Moments (other)
- Heroic Leadership (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [S4E34 Carla Minett | Departmental Rotations, Ship Building, & Engineering Leadership](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-09-08-s4e34-carla-minett-departmental-rotations-ship-building-engineering-leadership) (Being an Engineer)
- [How to Build an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2021-06-04-how-to-build-an-engineer) (EE Times Current)
- [Dean Michael Jensen | Developing People, & How An Engineering Degree Can Be Used Beyond Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-06-16-dean-michael-jensen-developing-people-how-an-engineering-degree-can-be-used-beyo) (Being an Engineer)
- [S7E10 Daniel Gledhill | How to Win at People-Centered Leadership in Engineering Teams](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-03-06-s7e10-daniel-gledhill-how-to-win-at-people-centered-leadership-in-engineering-te) (Being an Engineer)
- [S2E03 Engineering Empathy, Identifying Needs, & Developing Strong Work Ethic | Blayne Roeder](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2021-01-22-s2e03-engineering-empathy-identifying-needs-developing-strong-work-ethic-blayne) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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