Christine Cheng

Associate Professor Computer Science

Dr. Cheng’s general interests lie at the intersection of computer science and discrete mathematics, especially in algorithm design, combinatorial optimization, combinatorics, and graph theory. A main research focus is “stable matchings,” a solution concept used to match medical residents to hospital programs, students to schools, or kidneys to kidney patients. Additionally, Dr. Cheng is the faculty advisor for the Women in Computing student organization, and one of the founders of Girls Who Code at UWM.

I can offer…

Discussions and talks on diversity in the technology field.

David Clark

Associate Professor, College of Letters & Science.  Vice Provost for Student Success, Academic Affairs

Dave is a writing instructor and aspiring entrepreneur who loves to practice and teach design thinking.  He is a past-participant in the national I-Corps program (conducting well over 200 interviews) and has mentored several I-Corps teams for our local program. He is also a proud graduate of the Stanford d.school’s University Innovation Fellows program. In his spare time, he serves as the co-Director of UWM’s Division of Enrollment Management.

I can offer…

I love to mentor teams when I can, and given my limited time for teaching I particularly value the time I get spend teaching writing workshops.  I offer workshops on business writing and technical writing in a wide range of modalities and structures, to clients that include a wide range of corporations as well as UWM staff.

J. Dietenberger

Academic Instructor – Lecturer | Continuing Education Instructor

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.

Mr. Dietenberger has over 25 years experience consulting domestically and internationally with a multitude of clients with diverse backgrounds — including Global 500, AmLaw 200, CxO/Executive Suite, as well as Startups, and Scale-ups. In addition to serving on multiple Corporate, University, and Community boards, he has managed projects valued up to $100 million and advised on projects upwards of $1 billion.

Have served in interim honorary CIO, CSO, CINO to multiple digital startups in various phases (seed, growth, buyout).

Having authored with a member of the STEM Advisory team to the President at the White House, the focus of this leader is “transformational success in pursuit of the client’s objectives.” He is a frequent industry speaker and utilizes processes that are collaborative, engaging, and transformational.

Connect with and follow Mr. Dietenberger on LinkedIn.

I can offer…

I can offer IT Leadership and Digital Innovation Transformation dialogs to your endeavors – especially those involving and elevating the dialog of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity across innovation, business, and STEM. Additionally, in the realm of digital innovation across multiple sectors is the ever important dialog of I.T. Ethics and the rapid I.T. changes we face from a skill set, talent development, and ethics decision-making framework. Dialogs here to advance your efforts are welcome.

Adam Hudson

Senior Lecturer, School of Information Studies

Adam Hudson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Master’s in Library and Information Science from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and a Specialization in Web Development from the University of Southern California. He is the director of the Nonprof-IT program and teaches courses in front end web development.

I can offer…

• Practical experience working on digital innovation projects for local nonprofit organizations
• Opportunities to partner, and intern, with local organizations teaching digital skills and coding to Milwaukee Public Schools students
• Assistance with starting a web strategy, including figuring out website hosting and content strategy
• Assistance connecting with mentors and business professionals from Milwaukee area employers and alumni

Nathaniel Stern, Ph.D

Professor, Art & Design / Mechanical Engineering,
Director, Startup Challenge

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 ecological art to battery startups and philosophical books.

AkkeNeel Talsma

Associate Professor, College of Nursing

Dr. AkkeNeel Talsma is working on developing an integrated learning platform for pregnant women. In the process of developing her learning platform Dr. Talsma has come across many questions related to the pandemic and practical issues that would normally be discussed with a nurse. The website and learning platform she is developing  would help to answer burning questions on prenatal and postpartum topics. The web app will be useful to both the civilian and military women and new moms. Dr. Talsma initiated her project following the NSF I-Corps program and upon receiving the UWM RF Catalyst fund. The UWM RF Catalyst fund has helped to bring students onto the research and development team, and conduct important interview to better define the project.

I can offer…

I can offer my expertise in designing, implementing and analyzing research studies, quality improvement and implementation projects. I’m very comfortable with clinical data, big data, and reporting. I’ve gone through the NSF I-Corps program and serve as a mentor for I-Corps teams. I have experience with taking research concepts to a startup and am happy to connect with you.

Ilya Avdeev

Ph.D, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Avdeev is the Director of Innovation and Kellner Entrepreneurship Fellow at LEC, PI of the NSF I-Corps Site of Southeastern Wisconsin, Co-founder of the Student Startup Challenge, and founding director of the Advanced Manufacturing Design Laboratory. Dr. Avdeev is a faculty advisor of the UWM Prototyping Club and University Innovation Fellows program.

I can offer…

• For faculty:
  • • coaching or co-designing curriculum
    • making connection to others
    • facilitating pop-up sessions on Design Thinking or Lean Launch
    • coaching on grant writing or fundraising

• For students:
• • • • mentoring (innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship)
      • research opportunities (digital manufacturing)
      • opportunities to work on NSF projects (I-Corps and Research Experience for Teachers)

Kate Nelson

Chief Sustainability Officer – Office of Sustainability

Kate Nelson is the Chief Sustainability Officer for UWM’s Office of Sustainability. Kate operates as an agent of change within UWM and strategically aligns campus sustainability with the University’s mission, vision, and values. She leads UWM’s Climate Action & Carbon Resiliency Plan, which assesses the health and financial risk to the UWM community, infrastructure, and environment. Kate runs sustainability workshops, events, and training for university staff, students, and community, including the Green Office Certification.

I can offer…

I can offer insight and guidance on sustainability challenges.  My team and I have an acumen for why systems continue unsustainability and what it takes to make a change for a better future.  I can offer my assistance to students who want to cut through red tape on campus in order to change practices, products, and policies as they relate to sustainability.

Trudy Watt, RA NOMA

Assistant Professor, Architecture

Trudy’s roots in architecture, landscape and urban design configure her current research and design work cultivating equitable access to well-being through collaborative advancements in design, healthcare, and civics. Her work both in academia and in practice highlight narrative and experience as critical and often underestimated elements of process in an increasingly data-driven world, with a particular focus on populations and places whose stories have been marginalized. Her research team, Phase III, is currently exploring the impact of non-hierarchical and transformational pedagogy while developing design process advancements to center the experiences of older adults in the lived environment.

I can offer…

Coaching around integrating design methods into interdisciplinary work, help developing techniques for interactive experiences online, growth-oriented teaching tools and my curious, collaborative attention to your ideas.

Portia Cobb

Associate Professor – UWM Peck School of the Arts, Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres

Portia Cobb is a video artist and producer of short experimental documentaries whose videos and installations have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her work often investigates the politics of place and identity. Portia currently teaches both introductory upper level production and cross-disciplinary topical elective offerings in the department ranging from Radical Cinemas; Radical Black Film; Experimental Ethnography and a capstone course in film (Multicultural America). Additionally, Portia is a principal researcher, leading the creative team for the UWM Gun Violence Project with Department of Communication professors Leslie Harris, Erin M. Parcell with Debra Gilispie (founder of Mothers against Gun Violence).

Read more about the Gun Violence Project here, and learn more about Portia’s artistic works here.

Jim Hunter III

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-1990’s. He is the president of three companies, CFO of one company, vice president of four companies, and director of nine companies.

I can offer…

BUS ADM-447

Priya Nambisan

Ph.D, Associate Professor, Chair, Health Sciences

Dr. Priya Nambisan’s 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.

I can offer…

Offerings go here…

Shana Ponelis

Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Information Studies, Member, Association for Computing Machinery, Association for Information Systems

Dr. Ponelis is Assistant Professor of Information Studies and a member of the Association for Computing Machinery and Association for Information Studies. She focuses on empowering people to make informed decisions concerning themselves, their organization, and their society as a whole.

I can offer…

INFOST-691

Brian Thompson

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.

I can offer…

CIV ENG-691

COMPSCI-657

ELECENG-490

IND ENG-590

MATL ENG-690

MECH ENG-490

Michelle Silverman

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.

I can offer…

OCCTHPY-220

Anne Basting, Ph.D

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, intergenerational connections, and enriching the lives of elders through long-term care embedded with cognitive art projects.

I can offer…

THEATRE-320

Kim Beckmann

Co-Area Head & Associate Professor of Design & Visual Communication

Kim Beckmann is currently an Associate Professor in Design & Visual Communication at the Peck School of the Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has served as the Co-Area Head for the Design and Visual Communication Program (2009-2011 and 2014-2016), and as Associate Chair for the Department of Art & Design (fall 2011).

I can offer…

ART-422

Douglas Stafford, Ph.D

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.

I can offer…

CHEM-690

Andrew Dressel, Ph.D

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.

I can offer…

ME-101

Nicole Powley

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.

I can offer…

Offerings go here…