Shirley and Ting-Wei Tang Endowment Lecture Series
Founded in 1999, The Shirley and Ting-Wei Tang Endowment Lecture Series brings leaders of both engineering education and engineering-based companies to campus to present a major talk to the university. Lectures cover subjects such as technology innovation, entrepreneurship, engineering education, global engineering issues, and engineering and business leadership.
Lecturers are invited to interact with students and faculty before and after the lecture. “This is a chance for students to develop a relationship on a human level with an accomplished business leader or educator,” said Joseph I. Goldstein, dean of engineering in 1999. “I see the field of business having more to say to engineering, and our students need to be aware of what’s going on beyond their field. Many of our students will eventually be leaders in these technology-based businesses.”
Shirley Tang was an academic adviser for the United Asia Learning Resource Center before retiring from UMass Amherst in 1998. Ting-wei Tang taught in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for more than 30 years and is a professor emeritus. “We decided to establish an endowment in the College of Engineering because we want to make UMass better,” the Tangs said.
2024 Lecture
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Dr. Meikei Ieong ’96 PhD ECE
Chairman of Simbury LTD
From Semiconductor Chip Technology to Spatial Intelligence
Old Chapel, UMass Amherst
Reception begins as 4:00 PM; lecture at 4:30 PM
The event is free and open to the public. More information on event page.
Past Lecturers
Thursday, October 5, 2023
Heather Rothenberg ’03 MS, ’09 PhD CE (Transportation Engineering)
Director, Program Management/Product Operations, YouTube
“Turn Signals: Learnings from an Engineer’s Life of Turns”
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Joseph Hidler ’94 ME
Founder and CEO, Aretech LLC
"From Concept to Market: Bringing a Medical Device to Life"
Watch this lecture
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
Christine Seymour ’95 PhD ChE
Director, Regulatory Chemistry and Manufacturing Controls
Pfizer, Inc.
"The Profound Impact of Pharmaceuticals on our Lives"
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Peter Bannon ’84 ECE
VP, Low Voltage and Silicon Engineering
Tesla Motors, Inc.
“UMass to Tesla: 35 Years of Computer Design”
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Dr. Thomas J. Stanley ’79 ChE
General Manager and Chief Technology Officer
SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions
“Water Treatment Technologies for Recovery and Reuse in an Increasingly Water Scarce World”
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Karen Gillett Britton ’87 BS IE
Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
e-Management
“Are emerging cyber threats stifling business innovation?”
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Dr. Barry Siadat ’79 PhD ChE
Cofounder and Managing Director
SK Capital Partners
with John M. Steitz, CEO, Addivant Corporation
“Generational Advancement in Additive Technology”
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Dr. Young June Park ’83 PhD ECE
Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Seoul National University
“From Quantum Mechanics to Semiconductor Bio Chips: Life as a UMass Alumnus”
Thursday, October 30, 2014
David R. Gaboury, P.E., ’76 CE
CEO, Terracon
“Prosperous Growth in Service of Employees, Clients, and Communities”
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Dr. Eric A. Swanson ’82 EE
Director, Acacia Communication, Curata Incorporated, NinePoint Medical
“Startup Stories: Personal Observations and Other Comments”
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Dr. Ellen J. Ferraro '89, ’94 PhD ECE
Director, Systems Architecture Design
& Integration Directorate
Integrated Defense Systems, Raytheon Corporation
“The Art of Systems Thinking Within the Science of Systems Engineering”
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Dr. Edwin L. Thomas ’69 ME
The William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering
George R. Brown School of Engineering
Rice University
Houston, Texas
“The Role of Design-Build Competitions in Enhancing Leadership Skills in Engineering Students”
October 21, 2010
Dr. John Finn, ’90 PhD ChE
Founder & Vice President Technology Infrastructure, Bloom Energy
“Energy Startup to Energy Industry”
October 8, 2009
Dr. Marvin O. Schlanger ’72 MS ChE
Principal, Cherry Hill Chemical Investments, LLC
Former President and Chief Executive Officer,
ARCO Chemical Company
“Can You Read with the Lights Out? The Case for Energy Security”
October 2, 2008
Dr. Roberto Padovani ’83MS, ’85 PhD ECE
Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer for Qualcomm Incorporated
“Cellular Communication: What a Ride!”
May 11, 2007
Dr. Charles E. Wyman, ’67 ChE
Ford Motor Company Chair in Environmental Engineering and Co-Founder, Chief Development Officer,
and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of Mascoma Corporation
“Cellulosic Ethanol: Plants Powering Sustainable Transportation”
May 9, 2006
Robert L. Bratzler
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Coley Pharmaceutical Group
“Biological Engineering: Past, Present, and Future”
February 2005
Kenan Sahin
Founder and President of TIAX LLC
“Business Opportunities in the Innovation Backlog”
April 2004
Chang-Gyu Hwang ’86 PhD, ECE
President & CEO, Semiconductor Business,
Samsung Electronics Co.
“The Role of Semiconductors in the Next IT Era”
May 2002
Henry Petroski
Professor of civil engineering and history, Duke University
“To Engineer is Human”
March 2001
Paul E. Torgersen
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
“Technology and the Quality of Life”
October 1999
Paul E. Gray
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
May 1999
Gideon Argov
Chief Executive Officer of Kollmorgen Corporation
“Building Global Strategies with Local Human Beings”