A Perspective On Initiatives In Diversity And Outreach Activities Of Asme, An International Society

Mulchand Rathod, Wayne State University Mulchand S Rathod, PhD, PE, professor of Division of Engineering Technology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan is recognized for a career of dedicated, unselfish service to engineering and technology education, as a leader in education, faculty member, and as a contributor to professional societies. Dr Rathod lead the Division of Engineering Technology as director and chair during 1987-2003. Prior to joining WSU, he worked at State University of New York at Binghamton as coordinator of mechanical engineering technology program and assistant and associate professor (1979-87), Tuskegee University as assistant professor of mechanical engineering (1976-78), and Jackson Engineering Graduate Program as adjunct faculty (1975-76). Over the period 1980-85, his was employed in summers and academic years at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of California Institute of Technology and IBM. He worked in HVAC industry with B&B Consulting Engineers (1975-76). He earned his B.E. (Mechanical) degree from Sardar Patel University in India in 1970. Upon immigrating to USA, he earned his M.S. (1972) and his Ph.D. (1975), both in Mechanical Engineering from Mississippi State University. His specialty areas of interest include biomedical engineering, HVAC, energy, electronic cooling and packaging, and technical and minority education. While at Tuskegee, he performed research in energy and conducted summer pre-engineering programs for minorities and women. His mechanical design of a GSA building was granted most energy efficient HVAC award by American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) chapter in 1976. He performed research on photovoltaic cells and electronic cooling while with IBM and JPL. At Wayne State, he started new BS degree programs in computer, electromechanical, manufacturing, and product design engineering technologies; and a MSET degree. A nationally known leader in engineering and technology education, he took the engineering profession to middle schools during 1996-2001 and conducted enrichment programs for 8th grade students and middle school teachers. A registered professional engineer and member of Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering and Tau Beta Pi Engineering honor societies, Dr. Rathod is active in American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), ASHRAE, American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME), Professional Order of Engineering Technology (POET), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and Tau Alpha Pi (TAP) National Honor Society for Engineering Technology. He founded student chapters of SME, TAP, and ASME at SUNY-Binghamton and WSU, and lead as faculty advisor. He served in leadership roles of MET Department Heads Committee of ASME and organized first paper session on applied research. Also, he has served on ASME Boards on Engineering Education, Minorities and Women (Vice President), Diversity and Outreach (Vice President), Regions III and V Operations, Metrication; Council on Education; and representative to Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Dr. Rathod has been the ASEE campus representative at WSU. He has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Engineering Technology and was its advertising editor. He was a director of ETC board of ASEE He has been a reviewer for the journals of ET, ASHRAE, and Engineering Education, and has served on several project review panels of NSF and other organizations. He has organized and chaired paper sessions in the professional societies and served as a commissioner on the TAC of ABET. The founding leader of POET, Professor Rathod is a holder of numerous publications, inventions, and grants. He is listed in several Who’s Who publications, and is a recipient of Certificates of Recognition from NASA and IBM for technical innovation. Elected a Fellow by ASME, Dr. Rathod was awarded 1995 Dedicated Service Award, 1998 Ben C. Sparks Medal, and 2001 BMW award by ASME.