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Know Your Engineering Fundamentals Lecturers: Will Schleter

Will Schleter
Will Schleter

Distinguished Lecturer Will Schleter’s journey to UT began after he accepted a job at the Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge helping them move from paper drawings to computerized design. When working for the government got a little old, Schleter was offered an opportunity to teach Computer Aided Design part-time at UT. From there, he discovered a passion for teaching and working with students.

When the college’s Engineering Fundamentals (EF) program was created, he started teaching EF and has, in his words, been torturing students ever since. No, but really, he truly enjoys teaching EF because it gives him the opportunity to help students get their start. He says it’s as much a challenge for himself as it is for the students.

Below we asked him a few specifics:

Q: Where did you get your undergraduate degree? A: “I received a BSME in a previous century from the University of Missouri-Rolla, which is now Missouri S&T. It’s a small engineering school that allowed me to escape my hometown of Greenfield, Indiana.”

Q: How can students succeed in class and make you happy? A: “Not just in my classes but in general, be excited and proactive about learning. Embrace the challenge and learn to work hard and efficiently. Get involved with student societies and groups. Take advantage of co-ops or internships to get some experience and try not to lose sight of your goals.”

Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve? A: “How many can I list? Stickers that don’t come off. Students that don’t do homework. Egocentric people. Students that don’t do homework. People who repeat things in lists for emphasis. Students that don’t do homework…”

Q: How do you spend your free time? A: “I like sports and being outdoors. I’m still trying to learn how to hit a golf ball consistently. I am continually maintaining and updating my house, I dabble in woodworking and 3D printing at home, and I’m trying to design and build an electric riding lawnmower.”