Last Updated on Thursday, 21 January 2010 14:25 Written by staff Wednesday, 20 January 2010 00:00

James “Moe” Benda of Gilbert has been named Director of the Iron Range / UMD Graduate Engineering Education Program.

Concluding a six month search, our search committee has selected Moe Benda to head the UMD Graduate Engineering Education Program headquartered at Mesabi Range College.  This program is being offered by UMD’s Swenson College of Science and Engineering in cooperation with the Arrowhead University and has received financial support from the Iron Range Higher Education Committee.

Benda’s main focus will be to facilitate the opportunity for degreed engineers seeking to grow their skill set and to ensure that the Iron Range receives value from this program.  Understanding the needs for Engineering Disciplines both in the Public and Private sector will help form the course development as well as generate the need and desire for enrollment.

 

As well, he will also be coordinating course details – bringing professors/instructors from Duluth and providing scheduling and timing of instruction;  assisting grad students with course planning and advice; and starting next September, teaching Chemical Engineering.

Benda has a Master’s of Chemical Engineering from Michigan State and Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering and German from the University of Michigan.  He is a Lean / 6 Sigma Black Belt and worked most recently at Cirrus Design in Duluth as the Director of Quality and Process Engineering.  He has more than 20 years of experience which includes such industries as: coatings, aluminum die casting, information management, automotive- and off-road- vehicles.

“One key role I see with this appointment is to be the conduit between the Range and the UMD faculty – working with area leaders and engineers to design curriculum and research opportunities that interest and excite for both solving today’s problems and putting us on solid ground for solving tomorrows,” said Benda.

The purpose of the Graduate Engineering Education Program is to provide better access to advanced engineering degree programs for people living and working on Minnesota’s Iron Range. Upper division/graduate engineering courses designed to meet the specific needs of those engineers needing to maintain licensure, upgrade their engineering skills, or broaden their areas of employability will be offered.

"The courses being presented in the graduate degree programs are directly applicable to the professional development and career needs of engineers working in the public and private sectors on the Minnesota Iron Range," said James Riehl, Dean of the UMD Swenson College of Science and Engineering. "And we are focused on setting class times and advisement scheduling to meet the needs and availability of the Iron Range professional."

Master of Engineering degree program (MENG) with specializations in Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering,  or Mechanical Engineering

Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM)

Master of Environmental Health and Safety (MEHS)

All students have complete access to all courses offered and facilities on the UMD campus.

Classes are set to be held at Mesabi Range College in Virginia and will be taught by UMD faculty.  Enrollees will be UMD Students and will have access to related courses offered on the UMD campus and to ITV and on-line courses.