Two professors from Tuskegee University are part of a group of nine engineering professors who will spend eight weeks this summer learning about research and technology programs and sharing their perspectives as part of the The Boeing Company's Welliver Faculty Fellowship Program.
"As one of the largest global aerospace companies, Boeing places a high value on the engineering and technical skills required to grow and sustain our business," said Dale Ramezani, the company's director of university relations. "We offer this program because these professors are educating our future workforce, helping students develop the skills they need to be successful in engineering, business, and manufacturing and technology careers."
The participants in the 2009 program, which begins June 15, include: M. Javed Khan, aerospace science engineering, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala.; Daniel Kirk, mechanical and aerospace engineering Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fla., and Deidre Paris Michael, electrical engineering Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala.
The professors will shadow Boeing personnel to get a closer look at the company's technical and business programs. The professors are also expected to share their expertise by suggesting how Boeing could improve the areas they observe. They will have access to Boeing senior executives and the opportunity to build contacts within the company. During the last week of the program, they will present their findings to Boeing executives and other leaders during meetings at the company's Leadership Center in St. Louis.
Approximately 150 university professors have participated in this program since it was established in 1995. Interest has come from schools in China, the Congo, France, the United Kingdom, India, Australia and Poland, as well as the U.S.
The program is named for the late A.D. "Bert" Welliver, who was a Boeing senior vice president of engineering and technology. Welliver was recognized throughout the aerospace industry for his vision and leadership in promoting a close working relationship between industry and academia.
