Master of

Engineering
in
Professional
Practice

[Link]

What is the Master of Engineering

in Professional Practice?
The Master of Engineering in Professional
Practice (MEPP) is a two-year graduate
engineering program designed to give
experienced engineers from all disciplines
the tools and capabilities to be more effective
engineering leaders.

MEPP equips you to tackle:

This world-class degree program provides a

mixture of online delivery and a supportive,
integrated group of students and faculty that
allows you to actively learn competitive,
practical skills from anywhere in the world.

Lead global, networked teams

Gain technical proficiency in:

Project management
Business operations
Communications
Quality management
Applied statistics
Computer-based problem solving
International engineering practices

MEPP is tailored for busy working

professionals like you, featuring:
An online platform accessible to you
from anywhere in the world

Flexible learning times

Courses that apply immediately to
real-world work
A supportive structure that keeps
you on track

[Link]

Economic and big picture analysis

Global competition and partnerships
Strategic decision-making

MEPP prepares you to:

Effectively communicate new ideas

and information to all levels of an
organization
Oversee product and process
improvements

MEPP students see results:

In a survey of graduates 95% said

MEPP had a considerable or extensive
positive impact on their professional
development and careers

Recent surveys of MEPP students reveal

that more than 68% of students had
obtained a promotion or salary increase
before graduation
MEPP holds a 96% graduation rate
better than most on-campus graduate
programs

Supportive Cohort Design

Learning online in the MEPP program is a far different experience than other online programs. The
program is designed for highly interactive, collaborative learning with peer professionals. You will
proceed through your two years in the program with the same cohort. This group of 30 students is
limited to experienced engineers from top organizations around the world.
The MEPP program also emphasizes group projects, which means you will be constantly interacting
with your colleagues via online tools like Web conferencing, online discussion forums, email, and
conference calls. MEPP students and alumni consistently note the cohort model as the key to their
success in the program. Many say they built stronger relationships in the MEPP program than they
did during their on-campus days as an undergraduate.
Because the MEPP program is highly exclusive, the MEPP Admissions Committee closely screens
applicants. The committee admits only 30 of the best candidates each year, ensuring that students will
be working with peers whose experience they will value as an additional learning resource.

Highly Interactive
Online Environment

Unlike many online degree programs, which

funnel information to students through the Web
without significant and meaningful interaction,
MEPP uses the Internet to its full advantage.
With interactive tools, online Web conferencing,
and more, the MEPP program focuses on close
collaboration between instructors and students
and among students. Problem-based assignments
are structured to draw out and engage the
extensive expertise of fellow students as part of
the learning experience.
On a weekly basis, you may:
Present your group project to the entire class
and your instructor via Web conferencing
Discuss that weeks topic on the online
forum for that class
E-mail your instructor with a question, who
will answer you within 24 hours
Convene with your group over a project via
conference call
Seek advice from and discuss professional
issues with MEPP alumni
Interview decision-makers in your
workplace for a MEPP assignment
Share personal and professional interests
with your MEPP peers via the online MEPP
Community
This unique model also provides students
with experience in best practices in virtual
teamwork and collaborationcrucial skills in an
increasingly global economy.

A typical week in the program

Each semester youll take two courses that
complement each other in terms of content
and activities. In a typical week youll have
assignments from both courses that include
assigned readings, problems for individual
and group analysis, a live Web conference,
online discussion, and online project work.
Youll use a modern Web-based platform
to download course information, post
your assignments, and discuss course
topics with other students and instructors.
Weekly lessons strategically use recorded
presentations, readings, and assignments in
which you apply learning to real projects in
your workplace.
During weekly live Web conferences, you
will meet with faculty and colleagues in
real-time to review lessons and assignments,
discuss course topics and case studies, and
present project work.

[Link]

MEPP Curriculum
Year I: Summer

Network Skills for Remote Learners

1 credit

Instructors: Don Hanna, Thomas W. Smith,

and Mark Millard
Learning and working online requires that you
master the tools and techniques of personal
information management, communication, and
collaboration. This course will improve your
efficiency and effectiveness in these areas for
both work and learning. You will also take time to
examine your own educational goals and develop
a learning schedule to maximize the benefits you
receive from the MEPP program.

Course Topics

Engineering Economic Analysis

and Management
3 credits

Instructor: Charles Krueger

Learn principles and practices of interpreting
financial information and performing engineeringrelated economic analyses. This course focuses on
current practices, using economic information for
decision-making, and control.

Course Topics

Financial Principles
Implications of accounting and cost systems to
engineers
Interpretation of financial data, budgets, and
accounting summaries

Setting Up Your Learning Environment

Introduction to your online learning environment
Installing, updating, and testing required software
Troubleshooting your network, tools, and
applications
Addressing security at home, work, and on the
road

Costing Systems and Management Control

Activity-based costing
Pricing strategies and decision making
Cost analysis and models
Budgeting and risk analysis

Learning at a Distance
Participating in online discussion forums, e-mail,
wikis, and online conference environments
Succeeding as a distance learner
Juggling roles, responsibilities, and time
Making your life mission happen

Investment Analysis
Time value of money
Discounted cash flow, internal rate of return,
and payback methods
Sensitivity and break-even analysis
Impact of depreciation and income tax

Managing Information
Strategies for e-mail effectiveness and file
management
Using a formal content management system for
personal documents and group/team projects
Conducting professional Web and library searches

Financial Models and Forecasts

Planning and control models
Contemporary financial management techniques

Desktop Skills and Teamwork

Sharing data among applications and creating
compound documents
Mastering templates and styles
Working in a virtual team
Delivering online presentations

Year I: Fall

[Link]

Year I: Fall

Technical Project Management

3 credits

Instructors: Jeffrey Russell, Wayne Pferdehirt, and

John Nelson
Learn practical strategies, tools, and methods to
successfully plan, schedule, budget, and execute
projects. Using a real project from your own
work, you and several team members will apply
methods and tools to improve the organization and
management of your selected project. The course
also helps you learn how to use MS Project software
to better plan and manage projects.

Course Topics

Project Evaluation and Selection

Methods to evaluate and prioritize projects
Organizational project portfolio management
Project Organization
Project definition and initiation
Organizational breakdown structure
Work breakdown structure, project scope
Matrix organizations and task assignments
Project Leadership and Team Management
Leadership principles
Team dynamics
Project Scheduling, Planning, and Analysis
Task definition
Precedence relationships and networks
Critical path analysis
Total and free float
Early and late schedules
Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
Resource Allocation and Management
Identifying and managing project critical resources
Allocating resources among several projects
Project Budgeting
Methods of establishing project budgets and their
relative advantages
Identifying and managing budget uncertainty
Communicating and managing the project budget

Project Monitoring and Control

Data collection and analysis
Earned value analysis
Detection of deviation
Development of corrective plans
Project Termination
Determining whether to terminate a project early
Best practices for wrapping up a project and
capturing lessons learned
Project Risk Management
Understanding and assessing sources of risk
Strategies for reducing and managing risk
Project Audits
Improving projects through effective audits
Strategies for leading productive project audits
Organizational Project Maturity
Assessing and improving an organizations project
management capabilities
Sustainability
Project management applications of engineering
for sustainability

See Immediate Results

In the course of going
through the MEPP program,
[MEPP student and TDS
Telecom employee Dave
Pagenkopf] analyzed the very
high cost of running some
of our systems... Dave did a
very thorough analysis that
helped us see that we were
well positioned to go to a new
platform if we managed that
risk, and yield $1-2 million of
bottom-line savings.
Leslie Hearn, CIO of TDS Telecom and
supervisor of
Dave Pagenkopf
MEPP Class of 2011

[Link]

MEPP Curriculum
Year I: Spring

Year I: Spring

3 credits

3 credits

Engineering Problem Solving

with Computers
Instructor: Jake Blanchard
This course helps you develop the skills necessary
to solve the increasingly complex problems facing
engineers today. Learn underlying principles and
master techniques to utilize a number of tools with
powerful capabilities. A case study approach ensures
the practicality and applicability of the techniques
covered. In attacking these case studies, you learn
techniques for solving linear and nonlinear systems,
optimization techniques, and approaches to solving
systems of differential equations that govern many
engineering problems. The tools used during the
course include MATLAB and Excel.

Course Topics

Systems of Algebraic Equations

Linear systems
Non-linear systems
Optimization
Single and multivariate techniques
Differential Equations
Runge-Kutta techniques
Finite difference approaches
Miscellaneous
Numerical integration
Data analysis
Databases
Monte Carlo techniques

Communicating Technical
Information
Instructors: Christine Nicometo and Traci NathansKelly
CTI focuses on communication skills for technical
leadership. The course addresses effective
communication strategies, audience analysis, and
techniques that contribute to successful gathering,
synthesizing, writing, and presenting technical
information. Along with assignments that support an
on-the-job written project, CTI incorporates weekly
Web conferences, discussion forums, readings, and
research workshops from UWs Wendt Commons
(formerly Wendt Engineering Library).

Course Topics

Audience Analysis: Applying strategies for technical,

non-technical, and mixed audiences
Persuasion Strategies: Using rhetorical techniques
that persuade audiences, readers, project teams,
and management
Technical and Work Communication: Creating
electronic communication, written communication,
presentations; using proper style, tone, grammar,
diplomacy, documentation practices, archival
practices; working with international teams or
clients
Major Communication Projects: Developing
Technical Proposals, Technical Reports and related
documents, Technical Presentations
Research: Working efficiently and thoroughly with
library, databases, Web resources; pursuing lifelong
learning

Degree Requirements

The degree requires 26 graduate credits obtained by completing the 10 required courses. With
the exception of the summer sessions, you will take two courses each semester. You can expect to
spend about 20 hours each week doing coursework and participating in group activities.

Summer Residency Requirement

Each summer you will meet with your fellow students and instructors in a week-long residency
on the UWMadison campus. Scheduled for August, these on-campus sessions will conclude the
summer coursework and lead you into your fall courses.

[Link]

Employers Value the MEPP Program

I have personally observed the impact of this program on three
participants; in all cases, the personal growth in engineering
problem-solving skills, business acumen, and self-confidence have
been notable and professional success is certain.
Cynthia Bachmann, Vice President, Engineering
Kohler Company, employer of nine MEPP graduates

Year II: Summer

Year II: Fall

1 credit

3 credits

Independent Reading and Research

in Applied Engineering

Engineering Applications of
Statistics

Instructors: Philip OLeary and Paul Ross

Instructor: Conrad Fung

This summer course provides an opportunity to do

independent reading and research in a field of your
choice under the guidance of a UW faculty member
or appropriate advisor. Often, new tools, concepts,
or strategies learned during the first year of MEPP
spark interest in exploring further applications of
ideas. This independent study course is an excellent
opportunity for focused, personalized reading, and
research that can benefit your career.

Most engineering decisions rely on numbers.

But numbers in turn can be subject to variation,
uncertainty, drift, bias, interpretation, context,
unstated assumptions, and hidden agendas. The
job of statistics is to find as much underlying truth
as the numbers can reveal and to determine how
much uncertainty remains. This course teaches you
strategies for managing the uncertainty that exists
in all numbers in order to maximize the chance that
your decisions will be informed ones. In the course,
you examine the structure of variation and learn
the core descriptive methods for characterizing
and comparing populations. You also learn the
more active tools of experimental design. As a
final project you design and execute a physical
experiment and present the results. You will use the
MINITAB statistical package to carry out most of
the analyses in the course.

You determine your IRRAE topic in Spring semester

during the CTI course and will be matched with
a UW faculty reviewer/coach. Preparing a first
draft of your IRRAE project proposal is the final
assignment of CTI. Then, during the IRRAE
summer course, you use a variety of in-depth
research techniques with the staff of the UWs
Wendt Commons (formerly Wendt Engineering
Library).
You complete four main project steps for IRRAE:
1) a project proposal with a research plan,
2) a literature review, 3) a project draft, 4) a final
document. Several teleconferences during the
summer will cover project definition and scope,
research updates, and preliminary project results.
You also are encouraged to work informally in small
group review teams within your cohort. Finally,
throughout the process, you will receive advice and
feedback from the course instructors and from your
faculty reviewer/coach.
Your research deliverables are a short graduate level
paper plus a technical presentation during the yeartwo summer residency in Madison. You may want to
use the paper at a conference or at work or publish
it in a journal.

Course Topics

Tracking down variation, descriptive statistics,

and statistical software
Probability distributions, sample size effects,
and confidence intervals
Comparing two means
Design of experiments I, II, III
Measurement capability, variance components,
and gage R&R
Regression analysis I, II
Other types of data: skewness, proportions,
and counts
Miscellaneous: process capability metrics, data
transformation, and response surface methodology
Project preparation and presentations

[Link]

MEPP Curriculum
Year II: Fall

Year II: Spring

3 credits

3 credits

International Engineering Strategies

and Operations
Instructor: Don Schramm

Instructor: Harold Steudel

Learn to work better globally through a comparative

examination and analysis of global trends and
regional variations of engineering concepts,
standards and practices. Using organizational
(public and private sector) case studies, this course
describes and analyzes multi-national and national
engineering operations, summarizing best practices
and caveats.

In this key course in your final semester, you lead a

team at your workplace through the improvement
of a real-life process, product, or service. The course
provides you an opportunity to explore and apply
modern quality concepts, tools, and techniques
to develop, implement, and maintain systems for
improving quality and productivity in manufacturing
and service organizations. Use of quality management
and planning tools helps you to define quality
problems and opportunities, implement measurable
solutions, and foster team-based strategies for
continuous improvement. The course also addresses
issues in change management and how to successfully
implement change in an organization.

Comparative regional and national engineering

professional practice procedures and methods are
explored from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America,
the Middle East, and the Pacific Basin.

Course Topics

International Engineering Systems

What exists today; plans for tomorrow
Organizations: national and multinational
Country briefings

Course Topics

Engineering Professional Practice

Consultant versus corporate
Engineering norms and standards
Engineering codes and procedures
International engineering journals

Module One: Fundamentals of Quality

Improvement
Kaizen/Total Quality Management
Concepts and principles
Defining good process improvement projects and
group processes
Assessing organizational change readiness
(OCM model)

Engineering Operations
Office and desktop procedures
Field and on-site work
Professional and personal approaches
Possible adaptations or modifications

Module Two: Management and Planning Tools

Affinity diagrams and interrelationship digraphs
Tree diagrams
Matrix diagrams and prioritization matrices
Project planning and management techniques

Working Across Cultures

National and regional cultures
Business and corporate cultures
Languages, verbal, and nonverbal
Analysis techniques from Hofstede and
Trompenaars

Module Three: Change Management

Challenge and nature of organizational change
Leading successful organizational change
Training tools and practical issues

Special Concerns
Economic and legal
Social and political
Strategies, structures, and people
Working in virtual teams

Quality Engineering and Quality

Management

[Link]

Module Four: Basic Statistical Techniques

Statistical concepts for process control and
assessment
Statistical process control and process capability
techniques
Module Five: Project Presentations
Project presentations, reviews, and final report

Year II: Spring

Applied Leadership and

Management of Engineering
Organizations
3 credits

Instructor: Christopher Carlson-Dakes

Explore strategies, models, and practices for leading
and managing engineering organizations in a
context directly relevant to you. You will engage in
self-reflection about your styles, beliefs, and past
experiences with leadership and management, and
emerge with an insightful understanding of your
personal approach as a professional.
A course project of direct relevance to you and your
organization will help you integrate theory, models,
case studies, and real-time experiences from your
workplace. You will leave the course with broad
exposure to diverse approaches to leadership and
management, and a deeper understanding of how to
put what you learn into action.

Course Topics

Traditional and contemporary models of

leadership and management
Organizational culture and qualities of successful
engineering organizations
Motivation and the meaning of work
Employee engagement and development
Group dynamics and leading teams
Organizational change and overcoming obstacles
Building and advancing the business case for
projects, products, and services
Building systems and practices that sustain
excellence within an engineering organization

More about Summer

Residencies

At this on-campus, week-long session you

will meet your MEPP classmates and your
instructors face-to-face, while you dive into
intensive coursework and group project
work that corresponds with your summer
semester course. You will also develop a clear
understanding of your goals and the university
resources available to help you. The program
also brings in expert speakersengineers
with extensive experience and success in their
industry.
In addition, youll have plenty of time in the
evenings to explore the beautiful UWMadison
campus with your cohort members, including
the State Street pedestrian mall, Camp Randall,
the State Capitol building, and the Memorial
Union Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota.

Enjoy Extensive
Student Resources

Though you will only visit the UWMadison

campus briefly each summer, you will enjoy full
status as a graduate student of the university,
with benefits including:
Access to student support services
Student pricing on products such as
computer software
Access to the UWMadison academic
libraries, which offer you 10% of the worlds
library resources
Student tickets to UW Badgers sporting
events in Madison or for away games
Access to the UWMadison recreational
sport facilities when in Madison, including
the University Ridge golf course

[Link]

Real-life Student Success

Marjorie Melton, LEED AP
CEO
M3 Engineering Group PC
MEPP Class of 2003

from the MEPP program gave her

The knowledge and skills Marjorie gained
her own successful engineering
the leadership skills necessary to start
business.
ential tool to my appointment
Having an advanced degree was an ess
vice for the City of St. Louis. The
as President of the Board of Public Ser
it easy for me to earn my degree
MEPP programs online delivery made
y schedule.
despite my demanding career and bus
were directly applicable to
The skills I learned in the MEPP courses
instrumental in helping me
my everyday work environment, and were
the next level.
organize and lead the department to
and find that I often refer back to
I have now started my own business
ide direction and leadership to my
the course materials to help me prov
program to anyone wanting an
new staff. I would highly recommend the
may not fit a typical classroom
advanced degree but whose situation
structure.

10

[Link]

Top Organizations Support the MEPP Program

Every year, the MEPP program has admitted students from some of the top companies in the
world. The organizations listed below benefit every day from the knowledge and skills their MEPP
students and alumni have brought to the table.
3M

Intel

Abbott Labs

John Deere

Affiliated Engineers

JohnsonDiversey

American Electric Power

Kellogg

Arriyadh Development Authority

Kimberly-Clark

AT&T

Kohler

BAE Systems

Kraft

Boeing

Lockheed Martin

Cap-Gemini

MEDRAD

Carrier

Mercury Marine

Caterpillar

Micron

Cingular Wireless

Midwest Airlines

City of Des Moines

Motorola

City of St. Louis

NASA

Cummins

Navistar

Dell Perot Systems

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

Eli Lilly

P & H Mining

Fairbanks Morse

Plexus Corp.

Federal Express

Oshkosh Truck

FermiLab

Qualcomm

Genentech

Rockwell Automation

GE Healthcare

Sanofi Pasteur

General Motors

Sirius Satellite Radio

Google

Somfy China

Gulfstream Aerospace

TDS

Hamilton Sundstrand

Trane

Harley-Davidson

US Air Force

Hewlett-Packard

US Army

IBM

US Bureau of Indian Affairs

Indian Health Service

US National Security Agency

US Navy

[Link]

11

Earn a Degree from a

Respected Institution

The value of your degree depends on the

curriculum and the reputation of the university
granting the degree. The University of
WisconsinMadison is recognized worldwide for
its commitment to educational excellence. As
a student in the MEPP program you will be a
UWMadison graduate student in every respect
and earn a degree with the same academic
stature as any other master of engineering degree
awarded by UWMadison.
UWMadison is among the top five
universities with the most alumni serving as
CEOs for Fortune 500 companies, according
to US News and World Report
UWMadison is among the top five US
universities in research expenditures
UWMadisons College of Engineering is
ranked among the top graduate engineering
schools by US News and World Report

Join an AwardWinning Program

MEPP is internationally regarded as one of the

premier graduate degree programs available for
engineering professionals. MEPP has won major
awards that recognize the exceptional quality of
the program, from top organizations, including:
United States Distance Learning Association
(USDLA)
American Distance Education Consortium
Sloan Consortium
University Continuing Education
Association (UCEA)
MEPP has also been highlighted as a benchmark
program for graduate engineering educational
excellence that meets the needs of practicing
engineers by top publications, including IIE
Solutions, ASCEs Civil Engineering, SWE
Magazine, ASEE Prism, and NSPEs Professional
Engineer.

12

Employers See
Immediate Returns

Your employer will see immediate results from

your MEPP learning. Because you will use your
real-life work as material for your courses, the
learning you do in the MEPP program will
provide you with new solutions, tools, and ideas
for your actual, everyday work.

Course examples include:

Technical Project Management: Apply

project management best practices to an
actual project at work
Quality Engineering and Quality
Management: Lead a project at your
workplace through improvement of a real
product or process
Communicating Technical Information:
Improve actual documents you are
preparing to meet workplace needs and
prepare a presentation for a group of
colleagues at your workplace
These and other projects will immediately benefit
you and your employer, while also providing
opportunities to share the results of your
learning with colleagues.
Many MEPP students have used their new skills
and knowledge to save their organizations more
than the cost of their tuition before graduation,
making the MEPP program an investment with
high returns.

Get the Best Value

for Your Investment

Employers of MEPP students understand that

delivering the best value to customers is far more
important than being the cheapest option. We
guarantee that every dollar and hour you invest
in MEPP delivers a high return in valuable
learning. You wont waste time in courses
detached from your needs as an engineer or
traveling to campus and working around campus
schedules. You and your employer immediately
benefit as you apply new strategies and tools to
improve real projects and processes.

[Link]

Financial Aid Available

Student loans are available for this program.
All MEPP students who are U.S. citizens or
permanent residents are eligible to receive some
level of funding from the federal Stafford loan
program. These loans are available to qualified
graduate students taking at least four credits
per semester. Visit the University of WisconsinMadison Office of Financial Aid at
[Link] to learn more. Our Director
of Student Services will assist you through the
financial aid process and can be contacted at:
Phone: 608-262-0133
Email: meppapply@[Link]

Tuition Reimbursement Programs

through Your Employer

Many students work for companies that limit

tuition reimbursement to a set amount each
year. Please note that although the program is
completed in four semesters and two summer
sessions, this activity is actually spread out over
three calendar years.

Tuition and Fees

For the most current tuition and fees information, please visit [Link]/fees.
The MEPP fees listed includes tuition, web access
to courses, Summer Residency registration, tollfree access to web conferencing, and full access
to UWMadison library resources.

Admission
Requirements

Admission is based on the following:

A BS degree from a program accredited by
the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET) or the equivalent*
A minimum of four years of post
baccalaureate engineering experience
A minimum undergraduate grade-point
average of 3.0 (on a scale where 4.0 = A)
or the equivalent for the last 60 semester
hours (Applicants with less than a 3.0
may be admitted at the discretion of the
department.)
For applicants whose native language is not
English, a minimum acceptable score of 580
on the written Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) or 243 on computer
version
For international applicants, a degree
comparable to an approved US bachelors
degree
EPD does not require applicants to submit scores
from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
*Equivalency to an ABET accredited program:
Applicants who do not have a bachelors degree
from an ABET accredited program may also
qualify for admission to the program. Such
applicants must have a BS in science, technology,
or a related field with sufficient coursework
and professional experience to demonstrate
proficiency in engineering practice. Registration
as a professional engineer by examination, if
achieved, should be documented to support your
application.

Exceptions

Exceptions to the admissions requirements

listed are made on a case-by-case basis. If youre
considering the MEPP program, but are unsure
that you meet the admission requirements,
forward your resume to the Director of Student
Services at meppapply@[Link]. We
are happy to discuss your qualifications and help
you build the strongest application possible.
Phone: 608-262-0133
Email: meppapply@[Link]

[Link]

13

MEPP Advisory
Committee

The MEPP Advisory Committee is an esteemed

group of expert engineering educators and
leaders from top engineering organizations from
all over the world, including:
Kohler
GE Healthcare
Hamilton Sundstrand
Harley-Davidson
Visit [Link]/Why_MEPP/Faculty/
Advisory_Committee.lasso to see current
committee members.

MEPP Faculty

Jake Blanchard, PhD, is chair

of the Engineering Physics
Department at UWMadison.
He holds a BS in mechanical
engineering, an MS in
engineering, and a PhD in
nuclear engineering, all from
UCLA. He has published more than 75 articles
on several engineering topics, including fusion
technology, solid mechanics, materials, and
applied physics. He is the recipient of the 2002
UW Distinguished Teaching Award and the
2008 Harvey Spangler Award for Technology
Enhanced Instruction.
Christopher G. Carlson-Dakes,
PhD, LEED AP, is a faculty
associate in the College of
Engineering at UWMadison
and has created courses and
professional development
programs for students, faculty,
and staff. He has also worked and consulted
in industry as the director of organizational
development for an architectural engineering
firm, and as an organizational consultant for
engineering and biotechnology firms. His
degrees in mechanical engineering and sociotechnical industrial systems engineering allow
him to combine a highly technical curriculum
with social issues to help future engineering

14

leaders meet the challenges of todays business

environment. His combined experience brings
into the classroom a strong, diverse blend of real
world perspectives.
Conrad Fung, PhD, is adjunct
assistant professor at UW
Madison and a statistician in
private practice in the Milwaukee
area. From 1981 to 1984 he
was a statistician at the DuPont
Company, implementing modern
quality control at DuPonts manufacturing
plants in Europe and in the US. During 198792 he held joint appointments at UWMadison
in the Department of Industrial Engineering
and the Center for Quality and Productivity
Improvement. He was an officer of the American
Society for Quality for four years, retiring from
the chairmanship of the Statistics Division in
1992. He presently consults for companies across
the US in a wide variety of industries. He has a
PhD degree in statistics from UWMadison.
Don Hanna, PhD, is professor
of educational communications,
University of Wisconsin
Extension. Don has written
extensively in the fields of
distance learning, leadership,
technology, and organizational
change in higher education, and he regularly
consults on these topics with educational
organizations nationally and internationally.
He is an experienced online educator, and
frequently is a keynote speaker at online learning
conferences. He has been both an administrator
and teacher at four land-grant universities
and has helped to lead major institution-wide
change efforts related to technology and distance
learning. He received his PhD from Michigan
State University in 1978 and his AB degree from
the University of Kansas in 1969.
Charles Krueger, CPA,
CIA, is associate professor of
management for the Wisconsin
School of Business Executive
Education at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. He directs
programs in accounting, finance
business management, and related fields with
a focus is on helping managers use financial

[Link]

information for effective decision making. His

background includes a decade in the insurance
industry, where he held positions in corporate
operations. Krueger is author of numerous
articles on his major interest areas. In addition,
he authored a book and an executive educational
program on financial analysis. Krueger serves on
the local board of the Institute of Management
Accountants. He is also an active member of
the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants, Society of Insurance
Trainers and Educators, and the Institute of
Internal Auditors.
Traci Nathans-Kelly, PhD,
came to UWMadison to teach
in the College of Engineerings
Technical Communication
program in 2000, joining MEPP
in 2006. She teaches technical
communication, technical
presentations, technical editing, Web design,
writing user manuals, and other topics. She also
works for IEEE/Wiley as the series editor for
Engineering Professional Communication
line and as the IEEE Press Liaison for the
Professional Communication Society. Active
in the Society for Technical Communication
as Senior Member, she is the manager for
International Technical Communication, part
of the Committee on Global Strategies, and
judges competitions at the international level for
the publications contests for scholarly journals,
scholarly articles, and information materials.
With a team of colleagues, she recently finished
a four-year NSF study about how engineers learn
their craft and what values and skills they bring
to their work.
Mark Millard, MS, is the
Learning Design and Technology
Specialist for the Department
of Engineering Professional
Development in the College of
Engineering at UWMadison.
Prior to joining UWMadison,
Mark was the Assistant Director of the Office
of Instructional Consulting in the School of
Education at Indiana University. He holds a
BS in experimental psychology from Colorado
State University, and an MS in information

[Link]

science with an emphasis in human-computer

interaction and learning technologies from
Indiana University. Mark is also currently
working toward his PhD in information science
from Indiana University.
John Nelson, PE, is adjunct
professor of civil and
environmental engineering
at UWMadison, and a
consultant to the building design
and construction industry.
In addition to his faculty
responsibilities, John serves as a business and
management consultant to the architectural,
engineering and construction industry. Over
a three-decade period, he served as Project
Engineer, Department Head, Project Manager,
Vice President and Chief Executive Officer at
Affiliated Engineers. Under Johns leadership,
Affiliated Engineers became a nationally
recognized engineering firm in the area
of building dynamic systems for large and
complicated projects. His background includes
design, applications and research experience
with dynamic building systems, along with
business and project management. Johns
academic training is in Mechanical Engineering,
with a bachelor degree from Bradley and a
Masters from UWMadison.
Christine G. Nicometo, MS, has
taught technical communication
courses for undergraduate and
graduate students at the UW
Madison campus since 2003.
After receiving her Master of
Science degree in Rhetoric and
Technical Communication from Michigan
Technological University, she taught technical
communication and English as a second
language (ESL) courses there before coming to
Madison. She also taught at Finlandia University
where she was the director of a federal, TRIO,
Students Support Services grant. She has served
as director of the New Educators Orientation
program for the College of Engineering for the
past seven years and is an active member of the
American Society of Engineering Education.
Her most recent scholarship has focused on
combining findings from cognitive research to
inform best practices in technical presentations.

15

Philip R. OLeary, PhD, PE,

is chair of the Department
of Engineering Professional
Development at UWMadison,
which administers the MEPP
degree. In addition he conducts
professional development courses
in the areas of solid waste management and
related environmental topics. Prior to joining
the university, he worked for the Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources where he
developed guidelines and issued permits
for industrial pollution control systems,
land application of effluent systems, and the
application of sludge on agricultural land.
Dr. OLeary earned BS and MS degrees in
agricultural engineering and a PhD in land
resources with a specialization in energy and
environmental issues, all from UWMadison.
Paul Ross, MA, teaches UW
Madison campus courses in
technical communication for
undergraduates and graduate
students in science, technology,
and engineering. He directed
the universitys Technical
Communication Internship program. A member
of the Technical Communication Program
at UWMadison since 1991, he has taught
at Northern Illinois University, Texas A&M
University, and several community colleges.
He has taught in MEPP since the beginning
of the program. He is committed to continued
cooperation between the university and industry;
his work experience includes Texas Instruments
and the Sundstrand (now Hamilton Sundstrand)
Aviation Advanced Technology Group as a
documentation specialist. His recent work is
in service learning and public service in the
engineering profession. He is a fellow of the
UW Teaching Academy and is active in ASEE.

16

Jeffrey S. Russell, PhD, PE,

is Vice Provost of Life Long
Learning and Dean of Continuing
Studies and a co-founder of
the Construction Engineering
and Management program at
UWMadison. He has a BS
degree in civil engineering from the University
of Cincinnati, and MS and PhD degrees from
Purdue University. Recipient of more than 11
national and regional awards and four best
paper awards for his research, Dr. Russell
has published nearly 200 technical papers on
construction topics and two books, Constructor
Prequalification (1996) and Surety Bonds for
Construction Contracts (2000), with a third
book on the design for constructability and
maintainability in progress. He served as editorin-chief of the ASCE Journal of Management in
Engineering (1995-2000) and as founding editorin-chief of the ASCE publication Leadership and
Management in Engineering (2000-2003). He
is presently Chair of the ASCE Committee on
Academic Prerequisites for Professional Practice,
which is charged with defining the future
education requirements necessary to practice
civil engineering at the professional level.
Don Schramm, MS, RA, is
a faculty associate with the
Department of Engineering
Professional Development
at UWMadison. He has
responsibilities for courses
in building energy systems,
creativity, disaster management, workplace
design, and distance learning. A registered
architect in Wisconsin, he holds an architectural
degree from the University of IllinoisUrbana
and an MS from UWMadison. He has been
in private practice and taught for a year as a
Fulbright professor at universities in Bogot and
Cali, Colombia. He has worked in professional
education for three decades throughout the
United States and has lived and worked in more
than 50 countries in Latin America, Africa,
Asia and Europe. He directs the University
of WisconsinDisaster Management Center
(UWDMC), a provider of international distance
learning programs since 1985.

[Link]

Thomas W. Smith, MS, is

a program director in the
Department of Engineering
Professional Development at
UWMadison. He manages
a series of short courses on
engineering leadership and led
the early development of the MEPP program.
He also teaches courses in personal information
management and virtual teamwork. Tom
was instrumental in the development of the
universitys web conferencing and video
communications capabilities, and has received
several awards for this work. He has written
extensively on telecommunications and distance
education and is a frequent speaker on this topic.
He received his AB degree from Dartmouth
College and MS degree from UWMadison.
Harold J. Steudel, PhD, PE, is
the Emerson Electric Professor
Emeritus in Total Quality in
the Department of Industrial
and Systems Engineering
(ISyE) at UWMadison. He is
active in teaching quality and
productivity improvement courses both in ISyE
and the MEPP Program. He also served as the
convener of the Quality Engineering group and
department chair for nine years. Dr. Steudel
draws upon more than 35 years of experience
in designing and implementing leadingedge techniques for improving the control
and productivity of organizations quality,
environmental and manufacturing systems. He
has developed assessment tools, training courses,
and other management system elements for
Malcolm Baldrige, ISO 9001, QS 9000, ISO/TS
16949, and ISO 14001 international guidelines
and standards. He has also served as a certified
quality system lead auditor under the Registrar
Accreditation Board (RAB).

[Link]

MEPP Program Director

Wayne P. Pferdehirt, MS, PE,

AICP, is the director of the MEPP
program and director of graduate
distance degree programs for the
College of Engineering. Wayne
oversees the development and
delivery of MEPP courses and
ensures that the program meets the needs of
current and prospective students. Wayne also
co-teaches the Technical Project Management
course. Prior to joining UWMadison, Wayne
directed the Midwest solid waste consulting
services of an international environmental
consulting firm and led energy conservation
research projects for Argonne National
Laboratory. He has a BS in engineering from
Carnegie-Mellon University and an MS in
civil engineering with an emphasis in regional
planning from Northwestern University.
Wayne is a licensed professional engineer and a
nationally certified professional planner.

MEPP Director of Student Services

Gary Henderson, MA, is the

director of student services for
the MEPP program. One of
his roles is to address student
concerns and issues and seek
resolution when these conflict
with academic performance. He
chairs the MEPP Admissions Committee and is
the point-of-contact person for applicants and
students. Gary has been advising students in
both on-campus and distance learning programs
since 2001. He holds a BA in social psychology,
an MA in counseling, social and organizational
psychology, and has completed doctoral studies
in organizational behavior and strategy.

17

Real-life Student
Success
Rudy Quiles

Civil Affairs Officer

United States Marine Corps
Monterey, California
MEPP Class of 2009

With an undergraduate degree in

Oceanography and an MBA, Rudy had the
education to be a successful leaderbut
he increasingly found that in order to make
important technical project decisions,
he needed a more specific background in
engineering management. As a Civil Affairs
Officer in the US Marines who recently
served in Afghanistan, Rudys MEPP degree
also has given him the skills to go above and
beyond for his country.
While Rudy had confidence in his supervisory
and decision-making abilities, he knew that
he needed a stronger technical background
to advance in his career. The MEPP
curriculum strengthened my core abilities
to communicate across the engineering
project spectrum and lead with much
more credibility and confidence in my
role, he says. MEPP aligned the business
management skills from my MBA program
to meet the leadership needs within an
engineering firm.

18

As a full-time engineer who has gone

through the on-campus experience for his
MBA at the University of Michigan, Rudy
notes that the MEPP program was a
markedly different experienceand not just
because of the online delivery. The MEPP
environment is much more collaborative
than the Michigan environment, he says.
He notes that the MEPP program prepared
him for the team-oriented environments
common to the engineering industry and
helped him change his focus. My Michigan
experience was competitive in nature,
and I believe this reflects a fundamental
difference between the industries. In
business, you need to have a hypercompetitive mindset to succeed; in
engineering, there is a fundamental sense
of altruism because you are creating a
solution to an engineering need that will
benefit other people, Rudy says.
Rudy stumbled across another MEPP
success story right in his company.
I was assigned to an important project
to improve our Quality Notification
program for our emulsions business. I
decided to employ the tools from my
MEPP course to complete the project.
I wrote a Project Aim Statement and
submitted it to Kristy Beckman, the
emulsions technical lead.

[Link]

Kristy attributed her promotion to site

director to the credibility her MEPP degree
gave her, and is actively recruiting plant
engineers in Houston to join the program,
he adds.
Rudy worked with locals to rebuild the public
infrastructure and revive local governance.
Through his efforts he was able to bring
together military forces, non-government
organization, and civilian authorities.
I am very proud to call myself a Badger
and a MEPP graduate, he adds. I
encourage anyone interested in the
program to apply and find out what MEPP
graduates know: MEPP is a tremendously
rewarding experience, both personally and
professionally.
He now looks to use his experiences
in another wayby pursuing further
education to serve as a mental health
specialist and help other service men
and women.

Interested in the MEPP program?

Visit [Link] today.

Application Deadline:
March 31but apply
as soon as you can
The MEPP Admissions Committee accepts
applications year-round and begins the
application review process in October.

Admission decisions are made from October

1 until March 31, or until all 30 spots in the
incoming class are filled, whichever occurs first.

How to Apply

1. Email the Director of Student Services at

mepp@[Link]. In your email,
state your intent to apply for admission and
attach your current resume or CV, ensuring it
contains:
Educational history (including GPA,
awards, and honors received)
Professional work experience (including
specific details on your engineering
experience, technical training, and
responsibilities)
Listing of professional associations/
memberships, advanced training (such
as a PE license), and other noteworthy,
engineering-related details
2. Download the application checklist at
[Link]/checklist. This checklist
outlines the materials you must submit to the
MEPP Admissions Committee and the UW
Madison Graduate School.

Contact Information

Questions about the MEPP program design

and course content:
Wayne Pferdehirt, MEPP Program Director
Phone: 866-529-6377 or 608-265-2361
E-mail: wppferde@[Link]
Questions about the application process,
admissions requirements, accommodations
for disabilities and financial aid:
Gary Henderson, Director of Student Services
Phone: 866-529-6377 or 608-262-0133
E-mail: henderson@[Link]
Fax: 608-263-3160

Applications are considered in the order

received. It is in your best interest to submit
materials well in advance of the deadline.

Some photos courtesy of UWMadison Communications.

[Link]

19

Master of
Engineering in
Professional
Practice

MEPP vs. MBA

I looked into the MBA possibility and it just did not fit for me.
It was way too distant from engineering. MEPP really bridges
that gap between the technical aspect of being an engineer
and being a leader in an engineering environment.
Bruce Dennert
President, Camcom Engineering and former
Principal EngineerConcepts, Harley-Davidson
Instructor for UWMadisons Master of Engineering in Engine Systems
Class of 2002