Latest / The UNWavering Podcast / Innovation with a Mission | Dr. Siu-Yue Tam

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Innovation with a Mission | Dr. Siu-Yue Tam · The UNWavering Podcast

0:00
SPEAKER_01: Hey everybody, this is Monty.
0:01
SPEAKER_02: And Cassie.
0:02
SPEAKER_01: And welcome to another spotlight episode of the Unwavering Podcast.
0:06
SPEAKER_01: Cassie, random question.
0:08
SPEAKER_01: Do you know the formula for velocity?
0:11
SPEAKER_03: I I don't, but I I know that I never had the motivation to go the distance over time to learn it.
0:17
SPEAKER_01: Ooh, somebody, somebody got that joke somewhere.
0:20
SPEAKER_01: There's an engineer out there or somebody who took physics that knows that velocity is distance over time.
0:26
SPEAKER_01: So anyway, why are we why are we bringing up a joke that has to do with engineering?
0:31
SPEAKER_01: It's because today we get the chance to talk with Dr.
0:34
SPEAKER_01: Sue Yu Tam.
0:35
SPEAKER_01: This is gonna be fun.
0:39
SPEAKER_02: Join as we highlight the people, the purpose, and the pulse of Northwestern.
0:44
SPEAKER_02: This is the Unwavering Podcast.
1:00
SPEAKER_00: We innovate with a purpose.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: We want to solve real problems for real people.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: We want to serve others with our hands, feet, mind, and heart.
1:11
SPEAKER_00: As our president said, love God's word and love God's world.
1:16
SPEAKER_00: That's a goal.
1:19
SPEAKER_01: Our guest today is Dr.
1:21
SPEAKER_01: Sue Yu Tam.
1:22
SPEAKER_01: She's the director of the Northwestern Center for Innovation and Research, actually, the founder of it too, as well.
1:29
SPEAKER_01: She's also an associate professor of engineering.
1:32
SPEAKER_01: She has her bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota.
1:38
SPEAKER_01: And she also brings with her a lot of experience working in large companies and as an entrepreneur.
1:44
SPEAKER_01: So Dr.
1:44
SPEAKER_01: Tam, welcome again to the podcast.
1:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm glad to be here.
1:48
SPEAKER_01: This is going to be so much fun.
1:50
SPEAKER_01: And um here's where I'm I would like us to go today, or at least try to.
1:54
SPEAKER_01: I'd like to start by just taking a high-level overview of the School of Engineering, just as background and context, and then dive in to the Center for Innovation and Research and get really excited about that.
2:08
SPEAKER_01: But before we get there, I just want to get to know you a little bit.
2:12
SPEAKER_01: So a couple opening questions.
2:14
SPEAKER_01: Um, starting with what has the Lord been teaching you in this season, Dr.
2:18
SPEAKER_01: Tam?
2:19
SPEAKER_00: The Lord really has been teaching me to rely on him, especially when the workload is heavy and sometimes I just don't know what to do.
2:28
SPEAKER_00: So it's a natural tendency to just do the work or rely on my education or experience or even what's out there.
2:39
SPEAKER_00: At the bottom of this is really an unbelief.
2:42
SPEAKER_00: However, the Lord is teaching me to lay bare of what I have with all my limitations, imperfections, and sinfulness.
2:52
SPEAKER_00: He knows me and knows what I need to do.
2:56
SPEAKER_00: So to turn all that into his hands really casts away the unbelief of his ability, trust his lead and experience peace and joy in the process.
3:09
SPEAKER_00: He is truly amazing.
3:12
SPEAKER_00: His name is wonderful.
3:14
SPEAKER_00: How can we live with a wonderful God and not experience wonderful things?
3:20
SPEAKER_00: He is enough.
3:21
SPEAKER_00: He is really enough for all circumstances and more than enough.
3:27
SPEAKER_00: This is my testimony.
3:29
SPEAKER_00: That's so good.
3:30
SPEAKER_01: That's so good.
3:31
SPEAKER_01: He's enough.
3:32
SPEAKER_01: And uh you you reflect that joy, Dr.
3:35
SPEAKER_01: Tam, of of the peace and the calmness and joy that comes with depending on him.
3:39
SPEAKER_01: So thank you for encouraging us in that way.
3:42
SPEAKER_01: Well, what brought you to Northwestern and and specifically in this work at Northwestern?
3:47
SPEAKER_00: Well, it is clearly look brought me here.
3:49
SPEAKER_00: It's definitely not my plan.
3:52
SPEAKER_00: So in July of 2022, one day I opened my email, and there was this one with just maybe a couple of sentences.
4:01
SPEAKER_00: It said something to the effect like we have an opening.
4:04
SPEAKER_00: Are you interested?
4:06
SPEAKER_00: I simply replied, sure.
4:09
SPEAKER_00: Tell me more.
4:10
SPEAKER_00: That four words started the process.
4:14
SPEAKER_01: Wow, so that that kicked off.
4:16
SPEAKER_01: Like what was your context of Northwestern before that point?
4:20
SPEAKER_00: I didn't have much contact, so it's a surprise.
4:23
SPEAKER_00: It's a total surprise.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
4:26
SPEAKER_01: In the world of engineering and and innovation, um, people can have patents, right?
4:32
SPEAKER_01: Right.
4:32
SPEAKER_01: Now you've you've already worked in engineering for for some time now.
4:36
SPEAKER_01: Do you have any patents to your name?
4:38
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I do.
4:39
SPEAKER_00: It's an interesting question, as academia usually favors publications and industry favors patents.
4:46
SPEAKER_00: And I have both.
4:48
SPEAKER_00: However, when you have your own company and form your own intellectual property strategy, things may look different.
4:57
SPEAKER_01: Sure.
4:58
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
4:58
SPEAKER_01: No, that makes sense.
4:59
SPEAKER_01: So it's more of the patent angle.
5:01
unknown: Right.
5:02
SPEAKER_03: Ma, did you have any patents to your name?
5:04
SPEAKER_01: You know, I I don't, but if I did, can you patent ideas?
5:09
SPEAKER_01: You have to get them out of your head in order to get a patent, right?
5:11
SPEAKER_00: Right.
5:12
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
5:12
SPEAKER_01: So here we go.
5:13
SPEAKER_00: I can help you out.
5:15
SPEAKER_04: Yes.
5:16
SPEAKER_01: Uh without going too far into this.
5:18
SPEAKER_01: The idea I've always wanted to do that I'm sure has lots of problems.
5:21
SPEAKER_01: You know how when you're finishing a peanut butter, like a cup of peanut butter or like a container, and you reach in, what happens?
5:28
SPEAKER_03: Your hand gets peanut butter.
5:29
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you get peanut butter over your whole, like, depending on how small your hand is, your whole hand, right?
5:35
SPEAKER_01: Um, well, I've always kind of wanted it to just shrink down.
5:38
SPEAKER_01: Like as the peanut butter goes down, you just crunch the container down a little bit and it gets smaller, like an accordion straw.
5:44
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
5:45
SPEAKER_01: And by the end of it, you have just a cute little squished up thing that creates a whole new marketing message on it.
5:50
SPEAKER_03: Oh.
5:51
SPEAKER_03: Well, I bet one of Dr.
5:52
SPEAKER_03: Tam's students could probably make that.
5:56
unknown: Yeah.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: We have an entrepreneur group that deals with those kind of ideas and and hope to take them to market.
6:03
SPEAKER_01: Ah, so the dream could become true.
6:05
SPEAKER_03: No, you just gotta partner with the right people.
6:08
SPEAKER_03: Um for somebody who hasn't heard a lot about engineering at Northwestern, how would you describe what makes this program unique?
6:16
SPEAKER_00: Well, first, I want to get the word out that we have engineering.
6:21
SPEAKER_00: Let's go.
6:21
SPEAKER_00: Yes, it may be the best kept secret.
6:25
SPEAKER_00: Second, I want to say that the faculty truly cares deeply about the faith of each student.
6:31
SPEAKER_00: And that's why we have the faculty prayer meeting for the School of Science and Engineering, which meets bi-weekly, for which I am the organizer.
6:40
SPEAKER_00: We have prayed for students by name.
6:43
SPEAKER_00: It is our goal to seek the Lord together and witness his work together.
6:47
SPEAKER_00: Also, our small class size allows students to have a more personalized education.
6:53
SPEAKER_00: Our faculty know each student by name.
6:57
SPEAKER_00: Now let's talk more about the technical aspect of the program.
7:01
SPEAKER_00: For several years, we have the Bachelor of Science in Engineering, which offers concentrations in mechanical, electrical, civil, and now chemical.
7:11
SPEAKER_00: And by the way, we are the only school offering chemical engineering in our state other than U of M.
7:18
SPEAKER_01: Like the only the only D3 school?
7:20
SPEAKER_00: We are the only other school.
7:22
SPEAKER_01: Oh, the only other one.
7:23
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
7:24
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
7:25
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so and it's fully accredited.
7:28
SPEAKER_00: It offers students a broad spectrum of engineering together with their chosen concentration.
7:34
SPEAKER_00: This works really well when our graduates need to wear many hats in the company, especially in a small to mid-sized company.
7:42
SPEAKER_00: This year we added a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, a brand new program.
7:49
SPEAKER_00: And we are going to have our first graduate in a couple of weeks.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: Let's go.
7:54
SPEAKER_00: So, yes, our students are actually in high demand.
7:58
SPEAKER_00: Last summer we had 25% of our freshmen that get summer internship, and the percentages goes up by year.
8:06
SPEAKER_00: So about 50% for sophomore and about 80% for junior.
8:10
SPEAKER_00: Of course, senior, they should have a job.
8:14
SPEAKER_00: And we are actively developing our research capability through internally funded summer research and building partnerships with local industries.
8:25
SPEAKER_00: Students have access to research opportunities.
8:29
SPEAKER_00: Just this Thursday, we presented our research findings at the Design of Medical Device Conference in town.
8:35
SPEAKER_00: Our first presentation, yay! On top of research, we are developing entrepreneurship opportunity combining engineering, STEM, and business.
8:48
SPEAKER_00: And by this I mean not talking about just entrepreneurship classes.
8:53
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking about taking students through the actual process of entrepreneurship, identifying customer need, building a solution, evaluating market, funding, regulatory constraints, and possibly forming a company.
9:09
SPEAKER_00: So all the real steps to eventually maybe forming a company.
9:15
SPEAKER_00: We started last year and continues.
9:18
SPEAKER_00: One student that went through it last year claimed that it was a life-changing experience for him.
9:23
SPEAKER_00: So to sum it up, being a Christian university and having an engineering program with both research and entrepreneurship that is very unique.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: I think you'll be hard pressed to find something like that.
9:39
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
9:39
SPEAKER_00: The leadership has raised millions of dollars to develop these programs.
9:44
SPEAKER_00: So yes, we are expanding.
9:46
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to see what lies ahead.
9:49
SPEAKER_01: Us too.
9:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
9:51
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that seems really practical to the student.
9:53
SPEAKER_01: And it sounds like there's a lot going on in the School of Engineering.
9:56
SPEAKER_01: It's come a long way.
9:58
SPEAKER_01: Did you know that I was originally an engineering major here?
10:00
SPEAKER_01: Oh, cool.
10:01
SPEAKER_01: I was.
10:01
SPEAKER_01: We didn't have engineering.
10:02
SPEAKER_01: So we did the math here and the engineering at the U.
10:05
SPEAKER_01: But what a cool thing to have an actual engineering program and building here that is constantly developing and adding majors and programs and partnerships.
10:14
SPEAKER_01: So cool.
10:15
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for sharing that.
10:16
SPEAKER_03: They actually kicked him out after they heard the peanut butter jar idea.
10:21
SPEAKER_00: You're not made for this.
10:25
SPEAKER_00: Maybe not the time right now.
10:26
SPEAKER_00: Maybe.
10:27
SPEAKER_00: They weren't ready for that.
10:28
SPEAKER_01: They weren't ready for that level of idea.
10:30
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
10:31
SPEAKER_01: No, I probably capped out right there.
10:33
SPEAKER_01: But um so I did have a chance just recently in the past couple of weeks to finally take a tour of the School of Engineering, the building.
10:42
SPEAKER_01: Um, first of all, what a place.
10:44
SPEAKER_01: If you get a chance to take a tour of that for you listening, um I highly recommend that you see what they've got going on in that building.
10:50
SPEAKER_01: But it was obvious from the tour that we took with you, Dr.
10:53
SPEAKER_01: Tam, that there is engineering happening, but there's there's also purpose in the innovation.
10:59
SPEAKER_01: Can you speak to how what you're doing with innovation is mission-driven, not just class driven?
11:06
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
11:06
SPEAKER_00: Let me lay out what it is not.
11:08
SPEAKER_00: So our student is not just innovate just for the sake of innovation, or fulfill a requirement, or publish a paper.
11:19
SPEAKER_00: So we innovate with a purpose.
11:21
SPEAKER_00: We want to solve real problems for real people.
11:25
SPEAKER_00: We want to serve others with our hands, feet, mind, and heart.
11:31
SPEAKER_00: As our president said, love God's word and love God's world.
11:36
SPEAKER_00: That's the goal.
11:37
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
11:38
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
11:39
SPEAKER_03: That's great.
11:40
SPEAKER_03: So we if you don't know, listeners, we live in Minnesota's Medical Alley.
11:45
SPEAKER_03: So there's lots of medical companies here.
11:47
SPEAKER_03: And um I know with the School of Engineering, biomedical technology is a strategic focus.
11:53
SPEAKER_03: So why is that such a strategic opportunity where we live?
11:58
SPEAKER_00: Yes, like when you say we are right at the heart of medical alley.
12:02
SPEAKER_00: That means we are at close proximity to numerous medical devices, companies, and related companies, and the infrastructure that fuels that ecosystem.
12:13
SPEAKER_00: So many of our students went on to work in that industry.
12:17
SPEAKER_00: So biomedical technology produces results many of us can easily relate it to, and sometimes our own family are already using them.
12:27
SPEAKER_00: The strategic focus capitalized on the existing ecosystem for research and innovation, at the same time provide tangible and relational goal that can easily resonate with students and the faculty.
12:42
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, it is certainly resonating, and it's been cool to see how the students have been connecting with companies that are locally here too to make a real-world impact, even as they're just working on projects as a student.
12:53
SPEAKER_01: So uh that's really neat.
12:55
SPEAKER_01: I know President Hornby talks about seeking the welfare of our city, our community, our area.
13:01
SPEAKER_01: And uh what an opportunity for us with with this biomedical and and engineering to do that here in the medical alley.
13:08
SPEAKER_01: All right.
13:09
SPEAKER_01: I want to dive in and hear more about the NCIR, the Northwestern Center for Innovation and Research, which I just found out a couple minutes ago that not only are you the director of it, Dr.
13:18
SPEAKER_01: Tam, but you helped start the program.
13:20
SPEAKER_01: So I'm so excited to learn more about this.
13:23
SPEAKER_01: Cassie, are you giddy about this?
13:24
SPEAKER_03: Oh, yeah, I feel like we have a celebrity here.
13:26
SPEAKER_03: We do.
13:27
SPEAKER_03: Part of Northwestern history right here.
13:30
SPEAKER_01: Signing autographs after this episode.
13:32
SPEAKER_01: Um So, uh, Dr.
13:34
SPEAKER_01: Tam, can you explain what is the Northwestern Center for Innovation and Research and why does it matter?
13:40
SPEAKER_01: Just and assume that people have never heard about it.
13:43
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, NCIR, that's the short form for the Northwestern Center for Innovation and Research, is establishing a hub for innovation and research by fostering collaboration within UNW and building strategic industrial partnerships.
14:00
SPEAKER_00: In doing so, it turns UNW's identity into a dual-focused teaching and research institution.
14:10
SPEAKER_00: The partnership provides an ecosystem that supports the growth of our industrial partners while enriching our students' experience, training them to be servant leaders in their professions.
14:23
SPEAKER_00: This embodies our mission to be known as a top-tier science, technology, and engineering institution of higher education in Minnesota by 2030.
14:37
SPEAKER_00: That's an aspiration, and it's backed by investment and resources.
14:42
SPEAKER_01: Are the are centers like this common in university world?
14:48
SPEAKER_00: There are a lot of research centers in a lot of the universities, but they are already established as research institutions.
14:58
SPEAKER_00: So the role of NCIR is more complex.
15:02
SPEAKER_00: We are starting something new.
15:04
SPEAKER_00: We are kickstarting our research capability and rally around faculty and students to build this culture of collaboration and innovation.
15:16
SPEAKER_00: And plus step outside of our wall, like what our president's vision is to bring prosperity to our community, right?
15:26
SPEAKER_00: So we're stepping out of our wall to serve the community, and in the process, we are blessed by it.
15:33
SPEAKER_00: Because we enrich students with their real-world experience, real world projects.
15:38
SPEAKER_01: It's a win-win-win.
15:39
SPEAKER_01: It's a win for everybody around Northwestern, for the student, for the community.
15:43
SPEAKER_01: And it sounds like you're building momentum right now is a key focus too.
15:47
SPEAKER_00: Yes, you get it right.
15:48
SPEAKER_01: Where did the idea come from to start the the center?
15:53
SPEAKER_00: That's interesting because when we were first talking about the strategic plan and possibly with a future goal of starting a graduate program.
16:05
SPEAKER_00: So several of the faculty sit together and say, Well, if we are thinking in that direction, we really need to do research.
16:13
SPEAKER_00: You need to have research to have a graduate program.
16:16
SPEAKER_00: So what can we do?
16:18
SPEAKER_00: And in the meantime, there seems to be a lot of restrictions, and some of the faculty that has been here longer time, they said they've tried and it was just not going.
16:29
SPEAKER_00: So I I just say, let me do it.
16:33
SPEAKER_00: They say, Well, I think that's the push that we need.
16:36
SPEAKER_00: So that's there you go.
16:38
SPEAKER_01: Well, I I think they're absolutely right.
16:41
SPEAKER_01: Your enthusiasm is contagious.
16:42
SPEAKER_01: The right person.
16:43
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
16:44
SPEAKER_01: The right person to rally around.
16:45
SPEAKER_01: Um with innovation and research, um, how important is curiosity in that process?
16:57
SPEAKER_00: Well, innovation often involves looking at old problems with new eyes.
17:02
SPEAKER_00: Without curiosity, that will just be no innovation and research.
17:07
SPEAKER_00: That's just plain plain and simple.
17:09
SPEAKER_01: Wow, nothing.
17:10
SPEAKER_01: So how important is it?
17:11
SPEAKER_01: It's essential.
17:12
SPEAKER_00: You have to do it.
17:12
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
17:13
SPEAKER_01: All right.
17:13
SPEAKER_01: So, Cassie, for the rest of this podcast, I expect you to be very curious.
17:17
SPEAKER_01: Be curious.
17:18
SPEAKER_03: Yes.
17:18
unknown: Okay.
17:19
SPEAKER_03: Got it.
17:20
SPEAKER_01: No.
17:20
SPEAKER_01: Um well, I am curious.
17:22
SPEAKER_01: Uh, what what kind of labs and resources do students have access to already in the center?
17:28
SPEAKER_00: Well, we have many labs.
17:30
SPEAKER_00: Labs are essential to engineering.
17:32
SPEAKER_00: So we have machine sharp, we have makerspace, and those are labs as well.
17:37
SPEAKER_00: And we have the computer simulation lab, electronic circuits lab, thermal fluids lab, engine lab, physiological signal lab, control lab, materials lab, concrete soil lab, um, virtual reality and robotics lab.
17:52
SPEAKER_00: So those are the lab spaces, but you also ask about resources.
17:56
SPEAKER_00: So, from my perspective, our students are really blessed with direct access to faculty.
18:06
SPEAKER_00: Our faculties are very willing to mentor students in their projects and research, among other things, and they are experts in their prospective fields, many with industrial experiences, and the students are in really good hands.
18:21
SPEAKER_00: And plus, we are expanding, so we are uh going to build several other labs that's in industry-aligned labs that's that's in the works.
18:31
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
18:31
SPEAKER_01: So your labs are slowly taking over the world, is what I'm hearing.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
18:36
SPEAKER_01: And I see what you did there.
18:38
SPEAKER_01: You uh listed the labs and then you were able to sneak in all the faculty as additional resources that the students have access to because there's a wealth of knowledge and experience.
18:50
SPEAKER_01: They are labs of their own in their minds, I suppose.
18:53
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
18:54
SPEAKER_00: Without those experts, the labs are just things, right?
18:58
SPEAKER_00: So you need people with knowledge who make something out of it.
19:02
SPEAKER_00: And that's the actually the driver to the innovation.
19:06
SPEAKER_01: Well, and I know um for you listening, you just heard a list of different labs, right?
19:11
SPEAKER_01: That all have their own stories.
19:13
SPEAKER_01: Um and and once again, speaking to the chance to have a tour, to see them all in person.
19:19
SPEAKER_01: They are fantastic in what the students get to do in these labs.
19:22
SPEAKER_01: Um, Dr.
19:23
SPEAKER_01: Tam, can you just start with um maybe where we started the tour?
19:27
SPEAKER_01: The the very first lab that students get to participate in.
19:31
SPEAKER_01: Can you just tell uh the person listening just what happens in the very first lab?
19:36
SPEAKER_01: What opportunities do students have?
19:38
SPEAKER_00: That is the very first lab that students come to our school.
19:42
SPEAKER_01: What's it called?
19:43
SPEAKER_00: It's called an intro lab because it's used for the intro to engineering class.
19:47
SPEAKER_00: And basically is uh maker space.
19:50
SPEAKER_00: So you it's filled with um tables and tools uh lying around, and students generally would uh work in groups of four, and they would um make several different projects in that space, and that includes projects such as that relate to civil engineering and electrical and mechanical, and they need to work with the hands a lot, and that's a super popular class.
20:15
SPEAKER_00: Students just love them.
20:17
SPEAKER_00: And we have a contest every year, it's called Walk on Water in our Lake Johanna.
20:25
SPEAKER_01: Yes, tell us about this.
20:26
SPEAKER_01: Tell us about it.
20:27
SPEAKER_00: So the students are given just styrofoam board, it's like insulation board and duct tape and a few dollars.
20:36
SPEAKER_00: And so they are supposed to make a pair of shoes that help them to walk on water.
20:41
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
20:41
SPEAKER_00: So each group makes their own design and they are going to compete at the appointed time, usually about um not too cold, October, so it's still okay to fall into the water.
20:55
SPEAKER_00: So it's hugely popular.
20:56
SPEAKER_00: It's so fun to watch them.
20:58
SPEAKER_00: Um don't don't underestimate that.
21:01
SPEAKER_00: It's really hard to make a pair of shoes that float and not have you flip out right out on into the water right away.
21:10
SPEAKER_00: And so it's a real challenge.
21:12
SPEAKER_00: And if you can stay on top, then you can pedal to try to advance and be the fastest that race across the finish line.
21:22
SPEAKER_03: Oh, so not only do they have to stay up, it's also a race.
21:24
SPEAKER_03: It's a race.
21:25
SPEAKER_03: Wow.
21:25
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
21:26
SPEAKER_03: Yes, a lot of skills.
21:27
SPEAKER_00: It's very popular.
21:28
SPEAKER_00: Other students come and watch it, and other um grades of students uh come and cheer them on, too.
21:34
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we should broadcast it.
21:35
SPEAKER_01: Is it gonna be an ESPN?
21:38
SPEAKER_00: Sports network.
21:40
SPEAKER_01: Okay.
21:40
SPEAKER_00: That's an idea.
21:41
SPEAKER_00: So, Dr.
21:42
SPEAKER_01: Tim.
21:43
unknown: Yes.
21:43
SPEAKER_01: Honest opinion.
21:45
SPEAKER_01: If it's me versus Cassie in that project, who wins?
21:50
SPEAKER_00: I think that you both work together, you will win.
21:53
SPEAKER_03: Oh, that was very politically correct.
21:56
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for keeping us, friends.
21:57
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.
21:58
SPEAKER_03: It's such a strong core.
21:59
SPEAKER_03: I know.
22:00
SPEAKER_03: Just balancing like crazy.
22:01
SPEAKER_03: So mm-hmm.
22:02
SPEAKER_01: So you'll bring the strength, and I'll bring the brains.
22:08
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
22:09
SPEAKER_01: So so students from the get-go in that intro lab are getting exposed to all the different types of engineering, and they actually get to come out of it with cool creations that they made, and they get to see is engineering for them and also which part of engineering is for them.
22:23
SPEAKER_01: What a fun time.
22:24
SPEAKER_01: And they get to probably get wet in the lake on their way to doing it.
22:28
SPEAKER_01: Okay, I want to get back to the way that you bring companies, like local companies, into the program.
22:35
SPEAKER_01: So what does how does collaboration with companies work from idea all the way to prototype?
22:42
SPEAKER_00: The collaboration usually happens for a senior project where we have a group of three to five students working together with complementary skills, working to deliver a solution, often in the form of a prototype to the company sponsor.
22:59
SPEAKER_00: It's truly a partnership with the company from the start.
23:04
SPEAKER_00: We work together to define the scope of the project, find a matching expertise and faculty to supervise.
23:12
SPEAKER_00: The students sometimes even need to uncover and identify in underlying issues that is not identified by the company.
23:22
SPEAKER_00: And on top of constraints, shareholders, interests, etc., and come up with a solution or solution options with the input of the company.
23:33
SPEAKER_00: They then evaluate the best option forward, all things considered.
23:38
SPEAKER_00: And once the plan is firm, they will go into design mode, come up with a build of materials and testing plan.
23:45
SPEAKER_00: That all happens in the first semester.
23:47
SPEAKER_00: The second semester is to build, test, and iterate.
23:52
SPEAKER_00: That it's really a waste of time to finish all that they promised and some more before they graduate.
24:01
SPEAKER_00: So during this process, the students apply everything they learned in the four years and they learn some more.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: They learn to teamwork, communicate, and all that entails to be a professional engineer.
24:16
SPEAKER_00: Having the opportunity to design, build, and test, and then deliver a working prototype and value to the sponsor is truly an experience that will stay with the graduate all their life.
24:31
SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, I bet it will.
24:34
SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
24:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
24:35
SPEAKER_01: So what makes a company want to get involved with this program?
24:39
SPEAKER_00: Like Yes, we are very friendly.
24:43
SPEAKER_00: I'm not joking.
24:46
SPEAKER_00: Well, we have the School of Science and Engineering all together that is very unique.
24:54
SPEAKER_00: Most of other schools divide into different departments.
24:58
SPEAKER_00: So because we have it all under one school, that means that we can easily pull together various faculty to work on a project together and various resources to work on a project together if we need to.
25:11
SPEAKER_00: This includes all engineering, computer science, biology, biochemistry, and even nursing.
25:21
SPEAKER_00: Our faculty is expert in diverse fields such as biochemistry, biological sciences, instrumentation, computational modeling, fluid dynamics, coatings, material processing, separation, purification, computer science, virtual reality, and transportation.
25:41
SPEAKER_00: So it's a long list.
25:42
SPEAKER_00: So you can see we have expertise in many areas.
25:46
SPEAKER_00: And our faculty work well together.
25:48
SPEAKER_00: That is very unique.
25:50
SPEAKER_00: I have mentioned that our labs and facility already, so I'm not going to repeat.
26:02
SPEAKER_00: And another one, we don't keep our intellectual property when working with company-sponsored projects.
26:10
SPEAKER_00: That is very attractive to companies.
26:14
SPEAKER_00: And we are here to support companies' unique industrial needs, offering many different modes to work with us, such as contract-based research, development, testing, prototyping for companies of all sizes.
26:30
SPEAKER_03: Wow, that's so cool.
26:32
SPEAKER_03: So students are working on projects from start to finish, it sounds like, and they've got the opportunity to work on some pretty cool things.
26:40
SPEAKER_03: Can you walk us through the process for a student project from start to finish?
26:44
SPEAKER_03: What does that look like?
26:46
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so um it depends on what kind of size the project.
26:50
SPEAKER_00: So if it's a senior project, it's really similar to the the I the process that I just described.
26:56
SPEAKER_00: If it's a a smaller scope project, or it can be a longer-term project, like a research project, can span more than a year.
27:05
SPEAKER_00: So they would just be going through some pieces of the senior project process that I just talked about.
27:16
SPEAKER_00: And depending on the level of classes or their skill set level, then they the project can scope scope larger and smaller, and depending on if it's a multi-year project.
27:33
SPEAKER_00: Um we so far we haven't had multi-year projects yet, but we do have research projects with faculty that they would involve students, um, then students would be taking research credit.
27:44
SPEAKER_00: So those are more faculty guided projects instead of a more student-led project as a senior project.
27:52
SPEAKER_03: So you were just talking about how you don't um keep your intellectual property and so companies are able to use your your ideas.
28:01
SPEAKER_03: Um can you give us an example of a project that made a real impact for a company or the community?
28:08
SPEAKER_00: Yes, we have worked on many meaningful projects.
28:11
SPEAKER_00: I'll just give you one example.
28:13
SPEAKER_00: One project was tasked to redesign a part that fails regularly.
28:18
SPEAKER_00: Our students were able to redesign the part with a new material, but in the process also uncovered several other reasons that led to the frequent failure of the part and implemented one change immediately and recommended other changes to the company.
28:36
SPEAKER_00: These changes helped the company to save a significant amount of money.
28:46
SPEAKER_01: Um wasn't there something with like a medical device or something that students worked on that is now actually being used?
28:55
SPEAKER_00: Yes, there was one that um was kind of like a catheter, but on a bone graft application.
29:03
SPEAKER_00: So the there was some problem with the N of that part, and so the student came out with three different options.
29:11
SPEAKER_00: The first option, the company said we can't make it.
29:16
SPEAKER_00: So they scrapped that.
29:17
SPEAKER_00: And then they um came with the the other two options, and one was significantly better.
29:23
SPEAKER_00: So I think they kind of abandoned that second one while they are doing that testing.
29:29
SPEAKER_00: And so when the they um present the result to the company, they were actually very happy and they say they are going to implement the solution to into the manufacturing process.
29:39
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's awesome.
29:40
SPEAKER_01: And that's not the first time, right?
29:41
SPEAKER_01: There's been other things that have been implemented in companies.
29:44
SPEAKER_01: And these are kind of bonus projects for these companies, right?
29:47
SPEAKER_01: Where they're they're getting students to research them for free, basically, and then come up with these solutions.
29:52
SPEAKER_01: One more example that I'd love to hear from you, and because it's personally connected me.
29:57
SPEAKER_01: Um, my father-in-law is missing a couple fingers on his hand, right, that have been cut off.
30:01
SPEAKER_01: Um and there's a student that's been working on a project to help him with those fingers.
30:06
SPEAKER_01: Can you just share a little bit about that project?
30:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so this is actually an honest project.
30:11
SPEAKER_00: Um, the student was personally very interested in that because he himself is um has some issue with one of the finger, and so he is very vested in the project.
30:24
SPEAKER_00: So in designing the project, he it's actually a pretty complex project.
30:29
SPEAKER_00: So he we acquired a 3D scanner, so he had to scan the hands of individuals, whether they are born with missing parts of the finger, or maybe sometimes it's an accident.
30:41
SPEAKER_00: And so they would get a really good fit, a personalized fit with a 3D scanner.
30:47
SPEAKER_00: So he can design that into his model.
30:50
SPEAKER_00: And he also came up with several actually, several mechanisms, and some worked really well.
30:56
SPEAKER_00: And so he was able to design mechanisms that match the person's preferred use of that finger.
31:04
SPEAKER_00: So sometimes some people want to do typing, for example, or playing the piano.
31:09
SPEAKER_00: That's very different than you want to grab a cup of hot water.
31:13
SPEAKER_00: It's very different geometry and level of forces applied to it.
31:18
SPEAKER_00: So he has to be able to maybe um kind of find a s sweet spot of both the geometry and apply force for a specific application.
31:31
SPEAKER_00: He was able to find two different people to scan their hands on and come up with at least one um model that works pretty well with the intended purpose, with the both the geometry and apply force.
31:47
SPEAKER_01: It's so cool what these students are working on.
31:49
SPEAKER_01: That's so cool.
31:50
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm actually blown away by his progress.
31:53
SPEAKER_00: It was actually a really, really neat project.
31:56
SPEAKER_03: That's really cool.
31:56
SPEAKER_03: Makes me appreciate what a great engineer God is.
31:59
SPEAKER_03: They make our hands work in so many different ways, which is pretty great.
32:03
SPEAKER_03: Um so I'm sure you've seen so many student moments and um growth areas, but um, were you ever surprised by a student who did more than you were you thought they were capable of?
32:17
SPEAKER_00: Yes, I would like to share one example.
32:20
SPEAKER_00: Last semester I assigned a um project.
32:24
SPEAKER_00: It's it's actually an extra credit project, and it's a paper and stable bridge competition project.
32:34
SPEAKER_00: So it coincides with a national competition.
32:38
SPEAKER_00: So the idea is that the winning team from the class would represent the school to enter into the national competition.
32:46
SPEAKER_00: And so at the end of the class, more than one team wanted to continue.
32:50
SPEAKER_00: So that was the first surprise.
32:52
SPEAKER_00: And they continue to make design improvements.
32:55
SPEAKER_00: Eventually, the representing team placed third nationally behind New York Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon.
33:05
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
33:06
SPEAKER_00: Way to go Northwestern.
33:08
SPEAKER_00: Yes, they improved from the initial 0.8 kilogram of added load to the eventual about three kilograms of added load to a merely 200 grams of paper bridge.
33:22
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
33:23
SPEAKER_00: So it was really amazing.
33:25
SPEAKER_00: And what and then they they received a cash prize for it.
33:29
SPEAKER_00: And I'm definitely very proud of the technical achievement.
33:33
SPEAKER_00: But what makes me even more proud is that they did it not for the credit because the class is already done.
33:40
SPEAKER_00: So they did it on their own, and with such persistence and teamwork, I'm just really proud of them.
33:48
SPEAKER_01: Ah, they're just enjoying what they're doing.
33:50
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
33:51
SPEAKER_01: Compelled.
33:52
SPEAKER_01: Did they try to walk on the water with the bridge afterwards?
33:56
SPEAKER_03: Under the bridge.
33:59
SPEAKER_01: No.
34:00
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's very cool.
34:01
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for sharing that.
34:02
SPEAKER_01: We have just a few more closing questions with you.
34:05
SPEAKER_01: This has already been so much fun.
34:07
SPEAKER_01: Um but with all these projects and the different things going on, what are employers noticing about Northwestern engineering students?
34:15
SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I'm gonna just quote what they said.
34:19
SPEAKER_00: So I have a couple quotes for you.
34:21
SPEAKER_00: So that's this is the most recent quote from an employer of one of the students that worked as interns last summer.
34:28
SPEAKER_00: So here's a quote: The engineering students are hired as interns from the University of Northwestern St.
34:35
SPEAKER_00: Paul have been extremely beneficial to our emerging business.
34:40
SPEAKER_00: They have displayed attributes of character, preparedness, perseverance, and servanthood.
34:48
SPEAKER_00: They are willing to be taught by more experienced engineers.
34:51
SPEAKER_00: They have been willing to do any task requested, and they have simply made our company better.
34:59
SPEAKER_00: We have hired one of our interns into full-time employment, and we are anxiously waiting for the graduation of the other.
35:08
SPEAKER_00: And that's from John Dietrich National Defense Corporation.
35:12
SPEAKER_00: And I have a second quote.
35:14
SPEAKER_00: We have hired three interns from UNW to work in electrical design and embedded firmware maintenance and verification.
35:23
SPEAKER_00: One of these has been with us for several years and came on full-time following graduation while the other two are still students.
35:33
SPEAKER_00: All three are very curious, love to learn, and solid contributors to our teams and work hard.
35:42
SPEAKER_00: In my interaction with UNW students, an attribute I have truly come to appreciate is integrity and honesty.
35:52
SPEAKER_00: It is common today for job candidates to represent distorted resumes and have difficulty with telling it like it is.
36:02
SPEAKER_00: I truly appreciate the character of UNW students and graduates.
36:07
SPEAKER_00: And this is from Brian Broadway, president and CEO of ViviQuant.
36:13
SPEAKER_01: Well, those are some really, really fantastic reviews.
36:15
SPEAKER_01: And I know they that last quote kind of mentioned integrity and honesty.
36:21
SPEAKER_01: Um but what do you think it is that sets Northwestern graduates apart?
36:26
SPEAKER_00: I think that the character is one of them, and uh humility is another.
36:32
SPEAKER_00: And I also think that our graduate s level of training is not worse than any other um prestigious university.
36:45
SPEAKER_00: So they actually have been trained well.
36:47
SPEAKER_00: So I think that combining the character and um technical knowledge, I think they can succeed in any job.
36:58
SPEAKER_01: Well, I think you might like this next question too, as an ideas person and a visionary.
37:03
SPEAKER_01: Um when you think 10 to 20 years down the road with this program and engineering, um, how do you hope that students are impacting the world?
37:12
SPEAKER_00: So this is my secret desire and prayers is to train students to be Daniels, to be excellent in their professions, and yet stern stand firm during trials, especially with all the changes the world is going through right now.
37:31
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
37:32
SPEAKER_00: That's awesome.
37:33
SPEAKER_01: We know your secret now.
37:35
SPEAKER_03: I told you my secret.
37:38
SPEAKER_03: Oh, this has been wonderful.
37:40
SPEAKER_03: We have one more question for you.
37:42
SPEAKER_03: Um here on the Unwavering podcast.
37:45
SPEAKER_03: Um, we like to ask, what does it mean to you to be unwavering in your work?
37:50
SPEAKER_00: Unwavering means answering to the one, our Lord, regardless of the cost.
37:58
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for joining us.
38:01
SPEAKER_01: I know I've already hinted at it a couple times, but you do exude the joy of Christ.
38:07
SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
38:07
SPEAKER_00: It's my honor to be here.
38:09
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to be here too.
38:11
SPEAKER_00: So thank you for inviting me.
38:13
SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
38:14
SPEAKER_01: Yes, and uh for you listening, if this sparks some curiosity, or if you know somebody who may be interested in engineering or a company interested in engineering, looking for some awesome students, uh, feel free to send them our way.
38:27
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
38:28
SPEAKER_01: And I suppose we gotta let you get back to class or lab or something.
38:31
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thank you.
38:32
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
38:38
SPEAKER_02: Thank you for listening.
38:40
SPEAKER_02: To hear more, subscribe and leave a rating wherever you listen.
38:43
SPEAKER_02: And if you know an alum, faculty member, staff, or student of Northwestern doing amazing things out in the world, let us know at alumni at unwsp.edu, the unwavering podcast, highlighting the people, the purpose, and the pulse of Northwestern.