Meet the Team

“I am an Educator because Education enables Freedom. I am a Systems Engineer because Systems Engineering provides the technology that enables Societies to grow, prosper, and remain free. I am a Systems Engineering Educator at WPI because there I can be both.” Don helps to support the needs of our corporate partners and their students, and is a strong advocate for the advancement of the practice of systems engineering through his efforts with the International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) and the Systems Engineering Division of the National Defense Industrial Association. Don has ...

Dr. Looft is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Robotics Engineering (RBE) and Systems Engineering. He is one of three department heads that founded the WPI RBE program, and is the Academic Director of the Systems Engineering (SE) Program at WPI. His educational and research interests include project based learning, advising SE and RBE undergraduate and graduate capstone projects, developing material for and incorporating SE principles into general engineering project based education programs, and applying engineering solutions to problems in sustainability.

Dr. Monat is a Professor of Practice and Director at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he teaches courses in Operations Risk Management, Systems Thinking, System Optimization, Operations Management, Business Practices, and Project Management. Dr. Monat has both management and teaching experience in the medical device, separations, food & beverage, consulting, and environmental industries, having served as President of Harvard Clinical Technology, President of Business Growth Specialists, Inc., as Sr. Vice-President of Pall Corporation, and in a variety of positions for Koch Membrane ...

As a systems engineer I view optimizing engineering endeavors as going beyond algorithmic optimization to include a humanitarian mission, using systems engineering tools, patterns, techniques, methods, themes, and philosophies to do policy modeling, all with the common goal of mission success. While engineering tools have brought about much excellence and productivity, we haven't always applied these powerful tools to goals such as human diversity in engineering, or looking at the full human as a participant in the human workforce. I pursue these ideas across multiple dimensions, from research ...