Eric Lussier is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Tennessee. He teaches a variety of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level  bringing more than three decades of industry experience into the classroom.

Prior to joining the faculty, Professor Lussier held senior leadership roles across manufacturing, private equity, and consulting environments. He is a Senior Operating Advisor with Next Level Partners and previously served as a Principal with the firm, supporting operational excellence and value-creation initiatives across a range of industrial and private equity-backed organizations. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Vice President at Steel Partners, where he was responsible for the development and deployment of a portfolio-wide business system. He has also held leadership roles at Sequa Corporation and AlliedSignal in areas including quality, procurement, operational excellence, and new product development.

Professor Lussier’s teaching emphasizes the practical application of industrial engineering principles, with a focus on connecting theory to real-world operational challenges. His courses draw on examples from manufacturing, operations, and leadership practice to prepare students for professional engineering roles.

He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering focused on Engineering Management from the University of Tennessee, as well as a Master of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.