Milwaukee Engineering Research Conference
2021 Event Details
WATER. ENERGY. MANUFACTURING. HEALTH.
Spend two innovation-packed hours with us on Friday afternoons in February and join the discussions around the latest technological advances from across academia and industry.
This is the collaboration you’ve come to expect from SE Wisconsin’s top tier research university. With a different research focus area each week and lightning rounds of speakers, you’ll make the most of your time. Attend one session, a few or all four.
Virtual Sessions: Fridays, 2:30-4:30 pm
- Feb. 5: Evolving Energy Platforms: Leading-Edge Sustainable Systems for Transportation and Grid Applications
- Feb. 12: Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead to Transformation
- Feb. 19: Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections
- Feb. 26: Cleaner, Safer Water
Keynote Speakers
- UW System President Tommy Thompson, former United States Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and four-term Governor of Wisconsin.
- Mary Bunzel: Executive Director, Connected Systems Institute, UWM
- Russ Klisch, Lakefront Brewery, President and Founder
- Alexis C. Lewis, National Science Foundation, Deputy Division Director for the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Engineering Directorate
- Ted Miller, Ford Motor Company, Senior Manager, Energy Storage and Materials Strategy and Research
- Frank A. Pintar, Medical College of Wisconsin, Professor, Neurosurgery; Founding Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Cleaner, Safer Water Session: Friday, February 26
Water and the Environment
Clean air and water are essential human rights, yet they are far from guaranteed in the United States. Growing concerns regarding our crumbling water infrastructure and contaminants in our drinking water need to be addressed to ensure sustainable growth of the U.S. economy.
UWM researchers are taking the lead in addressing these critical issues, bringing together some of the more than 150 companies serving the water industry in Southeastern Wisconsin with funding agencies around a common objective. They provide innovative solutions to promote growth of the water industry and train the current and future engineering workforce at the frontier of water science and technology.
At this session, you’ll discover:
- Ground-breaking innovations and ongoing explorations from UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science, including those that apply Artificial Intelligence and data science to advance the water-energy nexus.
- Real-time ways UWM’s water technology research impacts industry—with insights from Lakefront Brewery President Russell Klisch.
- The plans for the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, which UWM leads, and will position the UW System globally, as leaders in freshwater sciences, technology and entrepreneurship.
- Opportunities for research collaboration and partnerships.
SESSION SPONSOR: Sage Water
SESSION LEAD: Qian Liao, UWM Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Russ Klisch, Lakefront Brewery, President and Founder
ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS:
- Junhong Chen, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Crown Family Professor of Molecular Engineering; Argonne National Laboratory, Lead Water Strategist & Senior Scientist
- Marissa Jablonski, Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, Executive Director
- Gregory T. Kleinheinz, UW-Oshkosh, Chair, Department of Engineering Technology
- Xiaoli Ma, UWM, Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering
- Yin Wang, UWM, Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Evolving Energy Session: Friday, February 5
Evolving Energy Platforms: Leading-Edge Sustainable Systems for Transportation and Grid Applications
Energy technology engineers and executives from across the manufacturing and research spectrum won’t want to miss this session as we bring together global innovators from industry and academia for a conversation around energy systems of the future. Renowned energy storage expert Adel Nasiri leads the session, fueling the discussion of an interactive energy system—an energy network that is secure, technically superior, reliable, resilient and available at good cost, whether for stationary or mobile applications.
SESSION SPONSOR: We Energies Foundation
SESSION LEAD: Adel Nasiri, UWM Richard and Joanne Grigg Professor, Electrical
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Ted Miller, Ford Motor Company, Senior Manager of Energy Storage and Materials Strategy and Research
ADDITIONAL PANELISTS:
- Rob Cuzner, UWM, Electrical Engineering Associate Professor
- Troy Miller, GE Renewables, North American Sales Leader for Energy Storage
- Deyang Qu, UWM Mechanical Engineering Department Chair and Johnson Controls Endowed Professor in Energy Storage
Advanced Manufacturing Session: Friday, February 12
Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation
In this session, we’ll highlight industry and research developments around data in advancing materials development and the manufacturing processes. Speakers will address Wisconsin’s agenda for manufacturing and industry expectations for manufacturing in the future.
SESSION SPONSORS: Dedicated Computing, IEEE Chicago Section, IEEE Madison Section, IEEE Milwaukee Section, IEEE Rock River Valley Section
SESSION LEAD: Wilkistar Otieno, UWM Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Department Chair and Associate Professor
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
- Mary Bunzel, UWM, Connected Systems Institute, Executive Director
- Alexis C. Lewis, NSF, Deputy Division Director, Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation Directorate for Engineering
ADDITIONAL PRESENTERS:
- Ilya Avdeev, UWM, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Director of Innovation and Kellner Entrepreneurship Fellow, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center
- Michael Cook, Rockwell Automation, Director of Global Academic Organization
- Nicole Otte, Endress+Hauser, Director of Workforce Development
- Ted Rozier, Festo Didactic, Director of Engineering
- Jela Trask, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Attraction & Investment Director
Biomedical Engineering Session: Friday, February 19
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections
This session brings together biomedical engineers and scientists to showcase biomedical innovation in the Milwaukee area with a goal of improving and fostering collaborative opportunities. Highlights of the session include COVID research and rehabilitation robotics and a look at key UWM facilities and research capabilities. If you’re affiliated with a hospital, university or industry involved in biomedical research you won’t want to miss the discussion.
SESSION LEAD: Priyatha Premnath, UWM, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Frank A. Pintar, Medical College of Wisconsin, Professor, Neurosurgery; Founding Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering
ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS:
- Mahsa Dabagh, UWM, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
- Mike McOlash, Rockwell Automation, Senior Engineer
- Mohammad Rahman, UWM, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering + Biomedical Engineering
- Konstantin Sobolev, UWM, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Yongjin Sung, UWM, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering + Biomedical Engineering
Plenary Speaker

Tommy Thompson
UW System President
Former four-term Governor of Wisconsin
Keynote Speakers

Mary Bunzel
UWM, Connected Systems Institute, Executive Director
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Russ Klisch
Lakefront Brewery, Inc President and Founder
Water and the Environment on February 26

Alexis C. Lewis
National Science Foundation, Deputy Division Director for the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Engineering Directorate
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Ted Miller
Ford Motor Company, Senior Manager, Energy Storage and Materials Strategy and Research
Evolving Energy Systems: Leading Edge Renewables for Transportation and Stationary Applications on February 5

Frank A. Pintar
Medical College of Wisconsin, Professor, Neurosurgery; Founding Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19
Session Speakers
Adel Nasiri
UWM’s Richard and Joanne Grigg Professor, Electrical Engineering
Evolving Energy Systems: Leading Edge Renewables for Transportation and Stationary Applications on February 5
Rob Cuzner
UWM, Electrical Engineering Associate Professor
Evolving Energy Systems: Leading Edge Renewables for Transportation and Stationary Applications on February 5

Troy Miller
GE Renewables, North American Sales Leader for Energy Storage
Evolving Energy Systems: Leading Edge Renewables for Transportation and Stationary Applications on February 5
Deyang Qu
UWM Department Chair and Johnson Controls Endowed Professor in Energy Storage
Evolving Energy Systems: Leading Edge Renewables for Transportation and Stationary Applications on February 5
Wilkistar Otieno
UWM Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Department Chair and Associate Professor
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12
Ilya Avdeev
UWM, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Director of Innovation and Kellner Entrepreneurship Fellow, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Michael Cook
Rockwell Automation, Director of Global Academic Organization
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Nicole Ott
Endress+Hauser, Director of Workforce Development
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Ted Rozier
Festo Didactic, Director of Engineering
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Jela Trask
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Attraction & Investment Director
Advanced Manufacturing: Harnessing Data to Lead the Transformation on February 12

Priyatha Premnath
UWM, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19
Mahsa Dabagh
UWM, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19

Mike McOlash
Rockwell Automation, Senior Engineer
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19
Mohammad Rahman
UWM, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19
Konstantin Sobolev
UWM, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19
Yongjin Sung
UWM, Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering Innovation in Milwaukee: Fostering New Connections on February 19
Qian Liao
UWM, Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Water and the Environment on February 26
Junhong Chen
University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Crown Family Professor of Molecular Engineering; Argonne National Laboratory, Lead Water Strategist & Senior Scientist
Water and the Environment on February 26

Marissa Jablonski
Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, Executive Director
Water and the Environment on February 26

Xiaoli Ma
UWM, Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
Water and the Environment on February 26
Yin Wang
UWM, Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Water and the Environment on February 26
General Admission:
$25/session; $75 for series
Student Admission:
$10/session; $30 for series
Sponsors





