PCE News
The Padnos College of Engineering announces new Unit Heads under new structure
April 28, 2025
The Seymour and Esther Padnos College of Engineering at Grand Valley State University is eager to announce the appointment of Dr. Wendy Reffeor as the Unit Head of the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (MME), Dr. Ryan Krauss as the Unit Head of the Department of Integrated Engineering (IEG), and Dr. Heidi Jiao as the Unit Head of the Department of Electric and Computer Engineering (ECE). Their leadership will help usher in the new era of engineering, here at Grand Valley State University.
Dr. Wendy Reffeor will serve as the inaugural Unit Head of the new Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. Dr. Reffeor has been a faculty member at Grand Valley State University since 1996 and has served as Program Chair for the Integrated Engineering program, the Mechanical Engineering program, and most recently as Interim Associate Dean for the Padnos College of Engineering. She received her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from GMI Engineering & Management Institute (now Kettering University), her Master of Science from Indiana University Indianapolis, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Mechanics from Michigan State University. Dr. Reffeor displays endless dedication and service to the Padnos College of Engineering, and her students. We look forward to her taking on this new role as Unit Head of the Department of Mechanical and Product Development Engineering.
The Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering will house the Mechanical Engineering and the Product Design and Manufacturing programs.
Dr. Ryan Krauss will serve as the inaugural Unit Head of the new Department of Integrated Engineering. Dr. Krauss has been a faculty member at Grand Valley State University since 2016 and serves as Program Chair for the Interdisciplinary Engineering program. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University, his Master of Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and his Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Krauss displays endless dedication and kindness in his service to our students, with students noting his respect for them, his ability to make learning fun, and his accessibility outside of class hours. We can't wait for Dr. Krauss to move into this role!
The Department of Integrated Engineering will house the Occupational Safety and Health program, the Biomedical Engineering program, and the Interdisciplinary Engineering Program.
Dr. Heidi Jiao will serve as the inaugural Unit Head
of the Electric and Computer Engineering Department. Dr. Jiao joined
GVSU in 2004 after spending several years working as an engineer and
researcher at Motorola, Bell Labs, and AVC Global Services. Her areas
of interest include semiconductor device fabrication and
characterization, nano-materials, nano-devices, fiber optics, solar
electric systems, and nanotechnology education. Her recent research
activities involve inorganic/organic solar cells, graphene-based
devices, and self-cleaning solar panel performance.
Dr. Jiao
received her B.S. and M.S. in Electronic Science and Technology from
Nankai University, China and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from
Pennsylvania State University.
The Department of Electric and Computer Engineering will house the
Electrical and Computer Engineering programs.