- Engineering Leadership Institute appoints Curtis Taylor and Jeremy Waisome as its first Fellows, honoring their leadership in engineering education.
- Fellows will receive hands-on guidance and professional mentorship. They will teach introductory leadership courses.
- Their work will deepen ELI’s curriculum in ethics, project management and communication, while inspiring future Gator engineering leaders.
University of Florida’s Engineering Leadership Institute, known as ELI, recently appointed Curtis Taylor, Ph.D., and Jeremy Macgruder Waisome, Ph.D., as inaugural Faculty Fellows. And for good reason.
“Dr. Waisome and Dr. Taylor exemplify the type of faculty whose teaching and research expertise strongly align with ELI’s curricula and whose passion for excellence in engineering education and pedagogy enhances our mission. We are grateful for their affiliation and look forward to the many mutual benefits this relationship will bring,” said Bill McElroy, PE.
McElroy is the acting director of ELI and the Gene Fraser Teaching Professor at the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
ELI’s Faculty Fellows program runs three years for current UF faculty. The program provides hands-on experience and professional mentorship in engineering leadership.
“I’m blessed and truly humbled to join ELI as an inaugural Faculty Fellow. Over a decade ago at UF, I served as a student leader in our college. It’s truly a privilege to shepherd the next generation of Gator engineering leaders through this new role,” Waisome said.
During her time as a UF engineering student, Waisome received the UF Alumni Association’s Outstanding Leadership Award and was inducted into the UF Hall of Fame.
She is currently an assistant professor and the Thomas O. Hunter Rising Star Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education.
“Jeremy is a longtime member of our HWCOE family, having started engaging as a high school student in our GatorTrax program founded by former HWCOE dean Dr. Jonathan Earle,” said former ELI director Angela Lindner, Ph.D., who knew Waisome as a student. “Her nationally known expertise in K-12 outreach, AI education, and mentoring led us to invite her to be named an ELI Faculty Fellow.”
Before she retired, Lindner also worked with Taylor.
“Curtis has a proven track record of leadership after his very successful service as associate dean at HWCOE. One of his areas of expertise is assessing the effectiveness of engineering education initiatives,” she said.
Taylor is the associate chair for research and an associate professor in the Department of Engineering Education.
He is looking ahead to the future of ELI.
“Being named an Engineering Leadership Institute Fellow allows me to work alongside exceptional faculty to educate and inspire the next generation of engineering leaders, while also continuing to refine my own leadership practice. This role is a meaningful expression of our college’s vision to be a leading producer of engineers who are prepared to lead with technical excellence, integrity and impact,” Taylor said.
As ELI fellows, Taylor and Waisome will gain a comprehensive view of the institute’s curriculum and programming, as well as deeper insights into engineering leadership education, project management, ethics, effective communication, and other career-readiness areas.
Additionally, they will conduct research and teach ELI courses, with each fellow teaching a section of the introductory leadership course.