In addition to adding the renewable energy major and moving into the Balzer Technology Center, the engineering department will have three new faculty members next school year.
The new hires will fill needs created in part by Leo Setian’s retirement and the renewable energy major.
Ted Song will teach electrical engineering, focusing on analog, and also teach classes in renewable energy, said Rob Norwood, dean of undergraduate studies. Tim Gilmour will also teach electrical engineering, focusing on digital systems and computer engineering. Finally, Norwood said Will Goertzen will teach mechanical engineering and also renewable energy.
Norwood formerly headed the engineering department. He served on the search committee for the new professors.
“Each year when new professors come in, they bring new classes and new levels of expertise,” said Bethany Miller. Miller graduated in May from John Brown University with a degree in mechanical engineering and also served on the search committee.
Miller mainly looked at how the candidates related to and worked with students. These three candidates impressed her; all three of them she described as interacting with students very well. Among other things she mentioned Song’s heart for missions, Gilmour’s intense doctorate research and Goertzen’s industry experience.
Ted Song graduated with his first degree, a bachelor of science in electrical and computer engineering in Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea in 2004. At the university, Song served as an Army ROTC cadet and served as an air defense artillery officer in the Republic of Korea army for three years.
He received his master of science in engineering degree in electrical engineering from the University of Texas in 2008. Song looks to complete his doctorate in electrical engineering in July.
During his military career, Song said he was able to form good relationships with those under him, as well as teach them discipline.
Song described his teaching style as trying to think from the perspective of the student. “I try to match my teaching and students’ expectation and their knowledge,” he said.
Song will teach Electronics I, Solar Energy and Renewable Energy Practicum in the fall.
Tim Gilmour graduated with a degree in electrical engineering at Cedarville University. He went on to complete his master’s degree in electrical engineering at Penn Sate University and has just finished his Ph.D in the same. At the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State University, Gilmour said he studied the interworkings of Parkinson’s disease, the brain and engineering.
For his new teaching job, Gilmour said he was excited about the opportunity to interact with students. Gilmour also has expressed interest in working overseas. After finishing his doctorate, he is currently in China visiting a friend.
In the fall, Gilmour will teach Computer Programming, Digital Systems and Digital Communication Theory.
Will Goertzen is no stranger to JBU. Goertzen graduated from the university in 2003 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He went on to get a master’s in the same. He expects to finish his doctorate soon.
“I had a really great experience here as a student and fell in love with … Christian education,” said Goertzen.
He had early exposure to teaching, as his dad served as a pastor. Goertzen called that a different kind of teaching. Referring to his own skill for teaching, he said, “I just naturally explain things to people, break things down from a more complex to a more simple form.”
Robert Norwood explained none of new faculty had taught in full-time teaching positions before. “They have a lot of places to grow in the classroom and teaching,” he said. “They’ve got some experience so they came across very well – students enjoyed the interaction.”
Norwood said he thought the new hires had good potential and would bring strength to the department.