Dean's Leadership Team & Staff

Ph.D., Binghamton University; M.E., Rochester Institute of Technology; B.E. in Mechanical Engineering, PSG College of Technology, India

 

Campus Address: ROSS 1116
Campus Telephone: 585-475-5955
Email: smrmet@rit.edu
Research interests include: Surface mount electronics packaging, automation, PLC controls and systems integration, web-based laboratory experimentation and control and robotics and automated systems.

S. Manian Ramkumar, Ph.D., is a professor, and currently the College of Applied Science & Technology (CAST) Interim Dean. He also serves as Graduate Program Chair for the M.S. degree in Manufacturing and Mechanical Systems Integration and has been at RIT since 1991. Ramkumar’s work is focused on surface mount electronics packaging, automation, PLC controls and systems integration, web-based laboratory experimentation and control and robotics and automated systems. His peer reviewing activity includes:

• Microelectronics Reliability Journal
• IEEE Transactions in Electronics Packaging Manufacturing
• IEEE Transactions on Reliability
• Manufacturing Division of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
• Journal of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (JASET)
• National Science Foundation (NSF) – Proposal Reviewer
• ASME – IDETC Conference

Editorial Activities:

• Associate Editor - IEEE Transactions in Electronics Packaging Manufacturing (2006 - Present)
• Penwell Publishing Group (SMT Magazine) (2007 - Present)

Surface Mount Technology Association

• Currently serves on the Nomination Committee for electing Board of Directors and also on the Technical Advisory Board and is President of SMTA Empire Chapter (NY State) and has served as Vice President of Technical Programs.

Honors and Awards

• Nominated to the Board of Trustees Outstanding Scholarship Award by the Deans Council of the University (2008)
• Innovation in Teaching and Learning with Technology award for 2008
• Nominated for the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department (2007)
• Nominated for RIT’s Principal Investigator Presidential Award from CAST (2007)
• Nominated for the Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Systems Science and Industrial Engineering Department (2007)
• Established a fully functional process and failure analysis laboratory valued at over $2,500,000 through industry donations
• Secured over $1,000,000 in grant funding for curriculum development, applied research and equipment, from federal agencies and professional societies (NSF, NASA and SME)
• Nominated for the Eisenhart Outstanding Teaching Award (3 years)
• Exceptional Scholar Award for excellence and leadership in the area of scholarship in CAST. (May 2006)
• Served as an Endowed Chair for the College from 1997-2007
• Award of Commendation from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), Region 4, for outstanding contributions to manufacturing and manufacturing engineering education, 1994.
• Second Place in the National Robotics Contest organized by SME, 1992 (Faculty Advisor for SME Student Chapter)
• Best Outgoing Mechanical Engineering Student Award for outstanding overall curricular and extra-curricular performance (1988)
• Best Mechanical Engineering Capstone Project Award (1988)

Dr. Linda A. Tolan manages curriculum, accreditation and assessment, student academic issues, student retention, and facilities. She is a tenured professor and teaches courses in human resources development, training and employee development, career theory and development, organizational development, human capital strategies, and strategic future thinking. Dr. Tolan has a Ph.D. in Leadership from Andrews University, an M.S. in Career and Human Resource Development from Rochester Institute of Technology, and B.S. in Management Science – Behavioral Science from SUNY-Geneseo. Dr. Tolan also holds certification (#38214) from the National Board of Certified Counselors.

Member of RIT faculty since 1996. Began as Assistant Professor in Electrical, Computer, and Telecommunications Engineering Technology. Most recently served as Department Chair of ECTET from 2005-2017 prior to taking on role of Associate Dean for Academic Programs & Continuous Improvement within CAST in July 2017.

Research interests include: the culture of engineering education, equity in STEM education, constructivist teaching strategies, embedded computing systems, hardware-based algorithm implementation, and computer architecture.

Education
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY
Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning
Dissertation: The Journey from Engineering Educator to Engineering Education Researcher
Dissertation Committee: Randy K. Yerrick (Advisor), Mary B. McVee, Noemi Waight
Nominated for NARST Outstanding Doctoral Research Award, 2017

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Master of Science in Computer Science
Thesis: Development and Analysis of a Versatile, Reusable, High Speed DMA Controller for Custom Embedded Applications using the PCI Bus
Thesis Committee: George H. Zion (Advisor), Peter G. Anderson, James Heliotis
Served as graduate assistant, taught several laboratories and Digital Fundamentals lecture (September 1988-May 1990)

Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering Technology, with Honors

Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center, VT
Associate in Applied Science Electrical Engineering Technology

Professional Society Memberships
National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) - member since 2015
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) - member since 2001
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) - member since 2005
New York State Engineering Technology Association (NYSETA) - member since 1997

Recent Publications
Eastman, M. G., Christman, J., Zion, G. H. and Yerrick, R. (2017), To educate engineers or to engineer educators?: Exploring access to engineering careers. J Res Sci Teach. doi:10.1002/tea.21389

Eastman, M.G., Yerrick, R.K.; Learning to Engineer My Educational Experience, Paper presented at 2016 NARST Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, April 16, 2016. http://tinyurl.com/Eastman2016

Christman, J. W., Eastman, M. G., Zion, G. H., & Yerrick, R.; Filling the STEM Pipeline: Factors Influencing College Major Selection, NARST Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, April 14, 2015.

Gupta, S. K., & Johnson, D. P., & Eastman, M. G., & Amuso, V. J., & Morelli, J.;Transfer Student Pipeline to Engineering & Engineering Technology Programs Paper presented at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana. https://peer.asee.org/23207

Gupta, S.V., Amuso, V.J., Johnson, D.P. Eastman, M.G., Morelli, J.; “TiPi Scholars Program for Transfer Students from Two-Year Colleges” 2013 Paper presented at ASEE St. Lawrence Section Conference. Best Paper Award.

Gupta, S.V.; Johnson D.P.; Morelli, J.; Eastman, M.G.; Amuso, V.J.; Persistence, Cooperative Employment, and Graduation Statistics of Transfer Scholars in Engineering and Engineering Technology Programs Paper presented at ASEE Annual Conference 2012

Grinberg, I; Land, R.E. Hall, T.; Lacroix, K. Macho, S. Eastman, M.G.; EET Nationally-Normed Assessment Exam: First Experiences and their Relations to ABET Outcomes; ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition 2011

Eastman, M.G.; Walker H.F.; “Ensuring Curriculum Integrity for Engineering Technology”, ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition 2011

Professional Affiliations
ASEE, IEEE, IEEE Computer Society, NARST

Sean Bennett serves as Assistant Dean in the College of Applied Science and Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester New York. He manages undergraduate academic affairs for approximately 2100 students in the College of Applied Science and Technology and supports advising service implementation. Prior to joining the College of Applied Science and Technology, Sean Served as director of the RIT’s Multicultural Center for Academic Success where he was responsible for restructuring campuses cultural services to emphasize academic success.

Sean has also served as Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Pipeline Programs at Clarkson University where he reporting to the president of the university and served on the president’s cabinet. While serving as senior administrator at Clarkson University, Sean functioned as a liaison to corporate, foundation, and governmental partners providing several million dollars in support for women and minorities in Clarkson’s Science and Engineering focused programs.

Sean has deep personal and professional interest in education, at all levels, and was introduced to higher education via his role as a senior administrator in charter school management in Massachusetts and New York. Sean has served as a certified k-12 educator and administrator in both NY and MA.  As a parent, Sean has served as  an elected representative on the School Based Planning Team of the School of the Arts in Rochester, NY where his son (Cameron) is a creative writing major.  Sean also has a 5 year old (Logan).

Prior to the transitioning to a career in education, Sean was employed by the Xerox Corporation where he gained engineering experience in both manufacturing and design.

Sean holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Clarkson University, MEd in Education from the State University of New York at Brockport, an EdM in Administration Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University, and a Doctorate in Higher Education Management from the University of Pennsylvania.  Sean’s research interests include study of persistence in engineering programs and African American engineering student experiences. In his spare time, Sean is an avid motorcyclist who enjoys racing sport bikes (on the track) and completing his own motorcycle maintenance.