SoE Industry Advisory Board Seats Six New Members
The School of Engineering recently added six new members to its Industry Advisory Board (IAB) representing a mix of professional backgrounds that include infrastructure, aerospace, tr
ansportation, as well as the defense industry, telecommunications, and intellectual property law. Collectively, the IAB provides strategic planning and program development to SoE Dean Alberto Cuitiňo and its members serve as ambassadors for the school, forging connections between the school and business and industry.
New members include Rizwan Baig, chief engineer of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Ian Copeland, senior advisor at Ultra Capital; Frank DeMauro, sector vice president and general manager at Northrop Grumman; Edward Hoffman, president of Competitive Business Solutions; Rajiv Patel, partner at Fenwick & West; and Peter Vetter, president of Bell Labs Core Research, part of Nokia.
The school's IAB, which now consists of 22 members — many of whom are Rutgers alumni — meet regularly and are engaged with the school, students, and faculty.
According to Dean Cuitiňo, "The IAB members are an unparalleled resource for me and the school, offering strategic guidance while serving as a sounding board for new ideas. They bring an outside perspective based on industry experience and expertise that helps align our academic mission in a broader context to support student career success and research innovation."
Introducing SoE's Newest IAB Members
Rizwan Baig is a passionate public servant with over 35 years of wide-ranging leadership experience and a demonstrated commitment to embracing best practices and 21st-century technology. He oversees the delivery of high-quality and cost-effective planning, architectural/engineering design, construction, and asset management services in support of the agency's priorities and standards to deliver world-class transportation infrastructure in support of a $45 billion Capital Plan.
Currently senior advisor with Ultra Capital and a former Bechtel Corporation senior vice president, Ian Copeland ENG/RU'86 has enjoyed career success as a consultant, developer, financier, constructor, and investor. By drawing on insights gained from his longstanding record of delivering complex engineering and construction services across worldwide infrastructure markets such as power, rail, water, waste, communications, and mining, he is well-positioned to help advance SoE's mission and vision.
During more than 34 years of service at Northrop Grumman, Frank DeMauro ENG'88, has overseen a wide range of initiatives. Currently he serves as sector vice president and general manager, weapons systems connecting, advancing, and protecting the nation and its allies. An industry leader, he has been honored with numerous awards, including the SoE 2019 Distinguished Achievement in Industry award.
Since earning his BS degree in applied science and engineering, Edward Hoffman ENG'85, has enjoyed considerable success in leadership positions at GE Aircraft Engines, GE Aerospace, and Lockheed Martin. As an entrepreneur, he launched a management consulting firm, Competitive Business Solutions, to improve operational performance across various industries, as well as Decision Flow, a software company that provides enterprise-level AI solutions to streamline complex manufacturing for business planners, buyers, and operations managers. He brings to the IAB a talent for tailoring problem-solving and creative thinking to individual business solutions.
Rajiv Patel ENG'89, graduating with a degree in electrical engineering, began his career as a systems engineer at IBM Corp. He then earned his JD from UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law, and ever since has been practicing intellectual property law at Fenwick & West LLP, one of the original Silicon Valley law firms. Rajiv's practice focuses on guiding startups and emerging technology and life sciences clients on complex business-focused intellectual property issues. His non-traditional path and long history in Silicon Valley will bring invaluable insights to the IAB.
As president of Bell Labs Core Research, part of Nokia, Peter Vetter leads a global research organization whose groundbreaking innovations define the future of networks and ensure portfolio leadership for core Nokia businesses. As an engineer with truly global expertise, he will offer astute counsel on the SoE's expanding efforts in the communications industry.