From St. Thomas Magazine - Fall 2008
As the new dean in a relatively young School of Engineering, Don Weinkauf may be in the best position that one could ask for on a university campus.
The school is well established with an energized faculty and an incredible industrial base of both teachers and advisers to the programs. It has grown substantially – more than 300 undergraduate students have declared an engineering-based major and graduate students come from a variety of Twin Cities high-tech companies – so much so, that classroom and lab space is hard to come by.
“St. Thomas felt like the perfect fit of where I wanted to go,” Weinkauf said from his office, still surrounded by unpacked boxes in July. “I was compelled by the educational philosophy and mission in advancing the common good. It truly resonated with me.”
Weinkauf came to St. Thomas from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, where he had been chair of the Chemical Engineering Department, which he helped found 12 years ago. He is a student-centered leader who earned national recognition as a 2005 Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar. His career began in industry, having worked as an engineer with Shell Chemical Co. While there, he had his first exposure to teaching as a foreign scholar in Mexico. It was this experience that led him down a different career path.
His background in the private sector has made him value the importance of developing students who see a liberal-arts foundation as a valuable component of their engineering education. Weinkauf pointed out that engineers with this type of background have a powerful edge in their fields. “A key factor in producing successful engineers is developing them as well-rounded individuals through an educational experience which really forces them to ask the questions ‘why?’ and ‘what if?’ and not just ‘how do I do this?’ The engineering profession needs to develop pipelines of talented students who not only have the technical capacity, but also a societal and human awareness to bring to fruition solutions which can really impact our lives.”
In addition to St. Thomas offering a broad-based undergraduate engineering experience, the graduate engineering program is in a unique position to offer degree tracks enhanced by expertise from the Twin Cities community. “Our graduate school is composed of engaging faculty, seasoned engineering leaders from industry, and outstanding students who all contribute to a vibrant learning community,” Weinkauf said. “How St. Thomas has managed to foster such a spirit of learning is truly remarkable, truly unique and truly the legacy of my predecessors.”
Weinkauf stressed that delivering an engineering experience goes far beyond a desk, a book and a chalk board. “First, we need to ensure that the best students, regardless of their socio-economic status, have access to the St Thomas experience,” Weinkauf said. “Then, we also have to understand that the engineering educational experience happens when students get their hands on real ‘things’… on real problems with real consequences, forcing them to look in every direction for the best solution. In the technical realm, these ‘things,’ and the state-of-the-art equipment necessary to deliver a relevant experience, require adequate funding. So to sustain our momentum, we have to have the funds to afford our students the opportunity of getting their hands dirty and their minds turned inside out.”