Trailblazers of Innovation: Celebrating Nine Faculty Member’s Achievements in Engineering Education

Yesterday, we had the privilege of celebrating nine of our engineering faculty members at the Engineering Innovation Pioneer’s Luncheon and Recognition Ceremony. This event was a heartfelt tribute to those who have earned the prestigious Innovation Engineering Blue Belt Certification after completing a rigorous training program and project work over the summer. The Innovation Engineering Blue Belt training is where rising leaders learn how to drive innovation within their sphere of influence by applying systems thinking to innovation.

“Our faculty’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of education directly aligns with our vision for the College of Engineering—to create a learning environment where innovation thrives and where students are equipped with the skills they need to shape the future,” said Dean Ahmed Khattab.

“I could not be prouder of our faculty for embracing the challenge of becoming Innovation Engineering Blue Belts. These pioneering efforts are a critical step in reimagining how we teach, collaborate, and inspire the next generation of engineers,” said Corinne Dupuy, Assistant Dean and Director of the newly established Engineering Center of Excellence (ECoE).

Innovation Engineering Blue Belt Honorees Included:

Joseph Kelly, Engineering Technology
Jacob King, Mechanical Engineering
Sen Liu, Mechanical Engineering
Bob Miller, Engineering Technology
Robert Miller, Civil Engineering
Yonas Niguse, Mechanical Engineering
Brandon Plaisance, Chemical Engineering
Ahmed Temani, Petroleum Engineering
Songyang Zhang, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Left to right: President Savoie, Ahmed Temani, Brandon Plaisance, Bob Miller, Robert Miller, Joseph Kelly, Sen Liu, Dylan Bourque, Yonas Niguse, Jacob King, Dean Ahmed Khattab and Provost Jaimie Hebert.  Not picture is Songyang Zhang. Photo credit: Paul Kieu / University of Louisiana at Lafayette

These faculty members took part in a two-day immersive training at the Innovation Engineering Institute at Eureka Ranch, where they pushed the boundaries of their expertise and learned a systems approach to innovation. Their dedication to the engineering innovation program is already making an impact in their classrooms, driving new approaches to engineering education.

Dylan Bourque was also recognized for completing six digital badge courses in Innovation Engineering over the summer while working as a student intern in the Dean’s office. His digital badges included: Why Innovation? Why Now? Why You?; Innovation Jump Start; Creating Ideas; Communication Ideas; Problem Solving; and Leadership Systems & Strategy.

The University council showed great support for the faculty for their achievements. In attendance: President Joseph Savoie, Provost Jaimie Hebert, John Blohm, Vice President for University Advancement and CEO of the University of Louisiana Foundation; Dr. Pat Cottonham, Vice President for Student Affairs; Dr. Bryan Maggard, Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics; Dr. Philip Auter, Faculty Senate President; Dr. Kristi Anderson, Chief Strategy Office; Kiwana McClung, Chief Inclusion Office.

A Vision for the Future:

The luncheon served as a reminder of the College of Engineering’s commitment to innovation and excellence through the Engineering Center of Excellence (ECoE). By empowering our educators, we are reshaping the engineering landscape—ensuring that our students are equipped not just for today’s challenges, but for the future.

Congratulations once again to our Innovation Engineering Blue Belts and thank you to everyone who attended and made the event a huge success!  See a glimpse of our wonderful celebration in the pictures below:

All photo credit to: Paul Kieu / University of Louisiana at Lafayette