MERC Online Member Profile

MERC ONLINE: We’d like to introduce you to Margaret Ratcliff. She is our next interview in our ongoing series of MERC Online Member Profiles. Margaret, would you tell us a little about yourself?

MARGARET: I have been a tenure-track professor in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) at Purdue University in Columbus, Indiana since 2005. I am working with several companies to develop new technologies, systems, or products for almost any industry, with most of my experience in Aerospace/Defense, or Manufacturing applications. I incorporate some of these projects in my classes so that our students get an opportunity to gain experience with other organizations, be creative, work with their hands, be part of a team, publish papers, and give technical presentations. Currently, I have a small project with MET students, Gevers Aircraft, and TMG, Inc. to design, build, and test our “Balloon Launched UAV with Nested Wing for Near Space Applications.” Also, I am working with some great professors at University of Dayton in the Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Department. Finally, I’m a Project Lead the Way Affiliate Professor in Principles of Engineering for Purdue University.

MERC ONLINE: How are you using the educational materials in the MERC Online database in your classes or programs?

MARGARET: Last year, I was working on a NSF ATE proposal together with some professors from both Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana and Purdue University and I needed to find examples of established manufacturing centers and resources. That is when MERC Online was “discovered”. I found both the MERC and NCME websites to be very informative. I was impressed with the way that the Ohio Universities (University of Dayton) and Ohio Community Colleges (Sinclair Community College) worked together. It takes great teamwork and leadership to provide a top quality manufacturing resource and support system for the manufacturing community and technical education professionals.

I teach materials, mechanical design, solid mechanics, thermodynamics, and structural analysis classes and we refer to the MERC Links and MERC Searchable Database for in-class projects and homework assignments. Our freshmen saw the link to MatWeb and they really liked that. Mostly I use MERC Online as a supplement to my classes, even the Distance Learning ones.

MERC ONLINE: What other ways are the materials in the database helping you improve or enhance the way you educate students?

MARGARET: I’ve been using some of the material from the Web Seminars to introduce the students to certain topics in materials and manufacturing. We also look at the What’s New section to see what’s there and also the Scholarship and Student Competition links.

MERC ONLINE: In what ways could the database and materials be more useful to you?

MARGARET: I would like to see some links or some information on patents and the development of manufacturable designs/ideas for new technologies. Other than that I think that the database is excellent.

MERC ONLINE: Are there any other services of MERC Online that have changed the way you educate students other than what we have talked about?

MARGARET: The Career Information and Company Interviews have been very useful in emphasizing job availability, required skill sets, and a company’s expectations for the manufacturing workforce. Our younger (traditional) students need to know what their options are before transitioning to the workforce. The information from these two places on the MERC website also offers an opportunity for in-class discussion between our traditional and non-traditional students.

MERC ONLINE: In what other ways could MERC Online be of service to disseminate manufacturing education?

MARGARET: I would like to use the high quality Curriculum Modules from the NCME website more often because it would reach a greater number of students and be more effective. This would also help in the development of class projects.

I think additional Company Interviews would be beneficial to the students. The Web Seminars are really outstanding, so please have more of them.

MERC ONLINE: Have you recommended MERC Online to your colleagues?

MARGARET: Yes, they have found the MERC Online and NCME resources to be very useful for in-class database searches, grant writing information, recruitment and marketing tips, events and conferences, web seminars, curriculum modules, and workshop information. It is highly recommended!

MERC ONLINE: Thanks Margaret! This interview has been very helpful.