Authors

DAVID E. GOLDBERG is president of Big Beacon, a nonprofit organization founded as a movement for the transformation of engineering education. He is known as an author, educator, entrepreneur, and artificial intelligence researcher. Author of the widely cited bestseller Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization, and Machine Learning and co-founder of ShareThis, in 2007 he co-founded the Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education (iFoundry). In 2010 he resigned his tenure and professorship at the University of Illinois to work full time for the transformation of engineering education. As a movement leader, leadership coach, and change management consultant, Dave now works with individuals, organizations, and networks around the world to collaboratively disrupt the status quo.

MARK SOMERVILLE is a professor of electrical engineering and physics at Olin College, where he also serves as associate dean for faculty affairs and development. He joined Olin from Vassar College in 2001. An electrical engineer and liberal arts double major, Rhodes scholar, and semiconductor researcher, Mark is passionate about active learning and student engagement. Mark has collaborated with institutions in North and South America and Europe to spread change in engineering education, particularly through the use of collaborative design in curriculum revision. Mark and Dave worked together, first on the Olin-Illinois Partnership and then as cofounders of the Big Beacon movement. Mark remains active in the classroom and works to spread effective transformation methods as part of Olin’s Collaboratory outreach and training efforts.