Ideas Challenge courses are a network of experiential classes being developed at UWM to integrate entrepreneurial thinking into the existing curriculum and strengthen themes of creativity and innovation.
Our Ideas Challenge Faculty Fellows are just some of UWM’s most innovative instructors helping transform the educational experience for UWM students. Check out course offerings below:
Business, Innovation, & Design Internship Coordinator, Student Affairs
Instructor, Engineering & SOIS
IS Tech Srv Senior, Info Tech Svcs-MEL
J. Dietenberger is an Executive Strategic Consultant, University Lecturer, Administrator, and Engineer in Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Internships, and Technology. He brings ivy league training, extensive sector, and multi-industry expertise. He is a senior-level Information Technology, Project Management, and Organizational Development leader.
ART-524 / Professional Practice / J. Dietenberger
Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Avdeev is the Director of Innovation at LEC, founding director of the Advanced Manufacturing Design Laboratory, Co-founder of the Student Startup Challenge, Co-PI of the Milwaukee I-Corps Program, and Kellner Entrepreneurship Fellow.
ART-405
COMPSCI-678
IND ENG-405
MECH ENG-405
Program Coordinator, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center
Mrs. Powley promotes entrepreneurial and innovative thinking across campus by regularly collaborating with professors to bring hands-on workshops, highlighting entrepreneurial and design thinking, to their classrooms.
ME-809
Ph.D, Lecturer, CEAS
Dr. Andrew Dressel is a UWM lecturer of Mechanical, Civil, and Environmental Engineering. His research focuses on bicycle and motorcycle dynamics as well as mechanical properties of bicycle tires.
ME 101
Ph.D, Director, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery
Dr. Douglas Stafford is the founder of the Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery. He has over 25 years of experience in the biomedical industry with executive position in operations.
CHEM 690
Co-Area Head & Associate Professor of Design & Visual Communication
The Design & Visual Communication Program inspires students to bring entrepreneurship into the arts. The course culminates with the UWM Design Entrepreneur Showcase exhibition that features innovative products and services developed around different themes.
For more information, visit the website.
ART-422
Professor of Theater, Artist in Residence Program Coordinator
Dr. Basting is an educator, scholar, and theater artist whose work over the last 15 years has focused on encouraging community engagement, inter-generational connections, and enriching the lives of elders through long-term care embedded with cognitive art projects.
THEATRE-320
Ph.D, Associate Professor, Art and Design, Head of Digital Studio Practice, Director, SSC
Dr. Stern is an artist and engineer as well as the Director/Co-founder of the UWM Student Startup Challenge. He has produced and collaborated on projects ranging from interactive and immersive to prints and sculptures.
ART-318(undergrad)/418(grad)
Professor of Occupational Therapy, Coordinator of Assistive Technology & Adaptive Design
Michelle Silverman, MS, OTR, is Professor of occupational therapy and coordinator of assistive technology and adaptive design at UWM. She instructs the course through the use of internet resources, print resources, and guest speakers.
OCCTHPY-220
Dr. Ponelis is Assistant Professor of Information Studies and a member of the Association for Computing Machinery and Association for Information Systems. She focuses on empowering people to make informed decisions concerning themselves, their organization and their society as a whole.
INFOST-691
Director, Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, President, UWM Research Foundation
Mr. Thompson is the Director of the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, Co-PI of the Milwaukee I-Corps Site, and President of the UWM Research Foundation. He also teaches new ventures as an adjunct instructor in UWM’s College of Engineering and Applied Science and the Lubar School of Business.
CIV ENG 691
COMPSCI 657
ELECENG 490
IND ENG 590
MATL ENG 690
MECH ENG 490
Dr. Priya Nambisan’s (Associate Professor, Chair, Health Sciences) research focuses on broad areas of marketing and organizational communication, social media, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Her work has been published in premier journals such as MIT Sloan Management Review and the Journal of Business Research.
Bostrom Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Mr. Hunter is Bostrom Entrepreneur-in-Residence and has taught entrepreneurship courses at the Lubar School of Business since the mid-1990s. He is the president of three companies, CFO of one company, vice president of four companies, and director of nine companies.
BUS ADM-447