Educator Grants

2023 IPC Michael V. Carano Teacher Excellence Award Winner

Name: Dan White

Title: Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

University: Valparaiso University

Bio: Dan White is at home at the nexus of education, electronics, radio, and software. He most frequently teaches courses in electronics, semiconductors, circuits, power electronics, and information theory. Hands-on projects form a significant part of his courses in matching how a course's concepts show up in real and measurable behavior. He directs the Wireless Research and Electronic Discovery (!WIRED) Lab at Valparaiso University where students work on space, internet-of-things, and embedded systems projects. Additionally, he is a founding member of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) education committee and a core contributor with the Libre Space Foundation.

Personal Statement: “It is an honor to be nominated for and awarded the Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award. Student learning development by any means possible is at the core of my teaching strategy. IPC helps provide extra opportunities for learning about and engaging with the electronics industry and I'm happy to help bring that experience to my students as the chapter advisor.”

2021 IPC Michael V. Carano Teacher Excellence Award Winners

Joel Tomlinson

Bio: Joel Tomlinson is a Lecturer/Laboratory Manager with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering Technology at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Throughout his six years of teaching courses related circuit analysis, troubleshooting, industrial controls, and instrumentation and measurement, he has been involved in curriculum development of electronics and engineering technology courses. The majority of his curriculum development is focused around industry preparedness of students entering a highly technical and rapidly evolving electronics industry.

Additionally, to curriculum development, Mr. Joel Tomlinson infuses practical electronics training with real world experience learned in the electronics and manufacturing field with the goal of increasing industry preparation for students. Mr. Tomlinson was a certified IPC-WHMA-A-620 Specialist while employed as a manufacturing engineer for a wire-harness manufacturing company. Mr. Tomlinson has worked with his previous employment to develop an internship program where students can gain valuable industry experience while implementing the WHMA standards and other IPC standards received through student membership in the IPC Education Foundation student chapter on campus.

Personal Statement: “Being awarded the Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award will be a great honor for me because it will reinforce my commitment to teaching and preparing the next generation of electrical/electronic technicians, technologist, and engineers. I appreciate the support and dedication of the IPC Education Foundation’s commitment to assisting educators and students in industry readiness in the field of electronics manufacturing.”

Andrea Blaylock

Bio: Andrea Blaylock is a full-time tenured professor at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois, where she has been the Faculty advisor for IPC Student Chapter for the past 2 years. During her nearly ten years of experience teaching in the Engineering Technology Department. Prior to Triton College, she spent nine years in the Industrial Power Systems and Electrical Distribution and Controls industries, working for General Electric and Bosch-Rexroth/Indramat Division, respectively, as an Area Account Manager, Outside and Inside Sales Engineer.

Andrea graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, with a Master of Arts degree in Career and Technical Education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Apparel Design from Dominican University. Recently Andrea has obtained her Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Substitute Teacher License and AWS GMAW D1.3 (MIG) Welding Certified Qualification.

Andrea believes that the best way to help students develop into industry professionals themselves is to instill in them the need to communicate honestly, be helpful with each other, and maintain integrity in their work. She does this by being this way herself, so teaching by example, not just words. She works with her colleagues at the college in the same manner.

When she is not working, you can find her spending time with her family, reading, and listening to music (jazz and inspirational). Her motto is “Life is not a destination but a journey” and she feels her journey has just begun.

Personal Statement: “It is an honor and privilege to be recognized as a candidate for IPC Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award. As the IPC Student Faculty advisor, I consider myself privileged to have been nominated for such a distinguished honor by one of my students. The majority of my experience has been in industrial power systems, electrical distribution, and controls, as well as residential and commercial building applications with small to medium scale power distribution, generation, and use. I've largely focused on teaching electricity/electronics, robotics, and programmable logic controllers since joining Triton College, Engineering Technology as the lead Mechatronics program instructor. Success cannot be attained on one's own; it can only be attained with the assistance and support of peers. Without the help of several people, I would not be where I am now. It takes a village to achieve success. This award is a chance for me to express gratitude and appreciate all of those who have helped me get to where I am now. In addition, the IPC Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award funding will allow me to further my professional development so that I can better serve students by assisting them in achieving their goals in the field of electronics and automation. Thank you for recognizing me with the IPC Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award.”