Meet: Dr.Lisa McNair – Our Instructor
Dr. Lisa McNair is a Professor of Engineering Education and Deputy Executive Director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT). From 2018 to 2023 she was Director of the Center for Educational Networks and Impacts (CENI), the education, outreach, and engagement arm of ICAT. In 2013 she began training as a sculptor and stone carver and applies this experience to both her art and to collaborative education. Her goal is to create learning experiences that are research-informed and that transverse perspectives within and beyond the university. Join Dr. McNair as she continues to redefine educational boundaries. For more information about Dr. McNair check this link
Meet Dr.David Gray – Project Leader
A Virginia Tech alum with a knack for innovative engineering, Dr. Gray is a seasoned professional. Post a post-doc role in developing magnetic field sensors, he joined a small business, contributing to various pioneering technologies for DOD, NASA, and commercial realms. His expertise spans sensing, actuation, materials development, non-destructive inspection, and energy harvesting. Dr. Gray excels in idea creation, proposal writing, project management, and leading engineering teams. Eager to leverage his industry experience, he’s committed to mentoring future engineering professionals. Explore and learn with Dr. Gray, as he brings the real world into the classroom! More information about Dr.Gray here
Meet Dr.Mark Huerta – Project Leader
Meet Dr. Mark Huerta, an award-winning educator and humanitarian engineer at Virginia Tech. Noticeable for his outstanding teaching at Arizona State University, he brings a wealth of expertise to classroom instruction. His passion extends beyond academia as co-founder of 33 Buckets, a non-profit delivering sustainable clean water solutions to underserved communities. This impactful work, along with his leadership in community service engineering projects, shapes his commitment to practical, real-world learning. With Dr. Huerta, experience education that inspires action. More information about Dr.Mark here
Meet Robin Ott – Industry Relations
Robin worked as Senior Director of Project Management for a small biotech company called Intrexon, located in the VT Corporate Research Center, where she had the opportunity to introduce manufacturing principles into a highly specialized DNA production facility. Robin joined her alma mater’s faculty in 2015, coordinating and teaching the Capstone Senior Design program in Mechanical Engineering where she significantly increased the participation of industry sponsors with the student projects. Robin has done research in the area of the student transition from capstone to work. She has a graduate certificate in Engineering Education and is pursuing a master’s in Engineering Education at Purdue University. More information about Robin here