About Us

Dr. Lisa McNair is a professor of Engineering Education and the Deputy Executive Director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT). From 2018 to 2023, she served as the director of the Center for Educational Networks and Impacts: the education, outreach, and engagement arm of ICAT. In 2013, she began training as a sculptor and stonecarver, bringing this experience to her art and to collaborative education. Her goal is to create learning experiences that are research-informed and that transverse perspectives within and beyond the university. Join Dr. McNair as she continues to redefine educational boundaries! Learn more about Dr. McNair.

Dr. Mark Huerta is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech (VT). Dr. Huerta applies qualitative and mixed methods research to explore and assess innovative approaches that foster safe and inclusive educational environments conducive to learning, professional development, mental health & well-being, and innovation. Prior to his current role, he was a Lecturer at Arizona State University (ASU), where he earned the 2020 Top 5% Teaching Award. As co-founder and Chairman of 33 Buckets, a non-profit delivering sustainable clean water solutions to underserved communities, Dr. Huerta’s humanitarian engineering work has garnered numerous awards. His dedication to community service and experiential learning shapes his commitment to creating impactful, real-world educational experiences for his students. Learn more about Dr. Huerta.

Professor Robin Ott worked as Senior Director of Project Management for a small biotech company called Intrexon, located in the VT Corporate Research Center, where she had the opportunity to introduce manufacturing principles into a highly specialized DNA production facility. Professor Ott joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 2015. She coordinates and teaches the Capstone Senior Design program in Mechanical Engineering, where she significantly increased the participation of industry sponsors with the student projects. Professor Ott has done research in the area of the student transition from capstone to industry. Learn more about Professor Ott.

Atlas Vernier is a graduate assistant at the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology. As a technologist, Atlas specializes in immersive audiovisual environments, emerging modalities of data collection, and large-scale systems integrations for humans and technology. Having completed dual undergraduate degrees in systems engineering and foreign languages, they are now a graduate student in the Grado Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering with a concentration in Human Factors Engineering & Ergonomics. Learn more about Atlas.

is a seasoned project manager and telecommunications engineer with over eight years of experience in technology project management and operations. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Engineering Education at Virginia Tech. His research interests include project-based learning and interdisciplinary learning. He believes applying real problem-solving scenarios, new technologies, and different mindset perspectives in education is critical to improving the learning experience. Ernesto has successfully led diverse projects in Peru, ranging from network deployments to operational management. As an entrepreneur, he is focused on innovation, ethics, and commitment, striving to create educational experiences that are both practical and impactful.

A Virginia Tech alum with a knack for innovative engineering, Dr. David Gray is a seasoned professional. Post a post-doc role in developing magnetic field sensors, he joined a small business, contributing to various pioneering technologies for DOD, NASA, and commercial realms. His expertise spans sensing, actuation, materials development, non-destructive inspection, and energy harvesting. Dr. Gray excels in idea creation, proposal writing, project management, and leading engineering teams. Eager to leverage his industry experience, he’s committed to mentoring future engineering professionals. Explore and learn with Dr. Gray, as he brings the real world into the classroom! Learn more about Dr. Gray.

Professor Matthew James is an Associate Professor of Practice in the Department of Engineering Education. Prior to joining the department in 2017, he worked as a civil engineer on a variety of land development and stormwater management projects. In his current role, he focuses on teaching and course development within the first-year engineering program. He also has pursued an interest in facilitating international engagement for students, having led study abroad trips through the Rising Sophomore Abroad Program, membership in the Academy for Global Engineering at VT, and as the faculty advisor to the Engineers in Action student chapter. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Virginia. Learn more about Professor James.

Dr. Tom Martin is a professor in the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech, with courtesy appointments in the School of Architecture + Design, the Department of Engineering Education, and the Department of Computer Science. He is the Deputy Executive Director of ICAT and the Program Director for the National Science Foundation. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. His research and teaching interests include wearable computing, electronic textiles, and interdisciplinary design teams for pervasive computing. Learn more about Dr. Martin.