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 Kenneth
Santarelli, an aerospace industry veteran with Rocketdyne, has been
named director of California State University, Fresno’s engineering
programs at the Lancaster University Center in Southern California.
The announcement was made today – Santarelli’s first day on the job – by
Dr. Ram Nunna, interim associate dean of the College of Engineering.
“Mr. Santarelli will work to advance the Lancaster Engineering Programs
through positive and mutually beneficial working relationships with
local aerospace, government and industry laboratories, test centers and
production organizations, K-12 and community college faculty and
administrators,” Nunna said.
Engineering programs in Lancaster were established in 2004 through
collaboration among the city of Lancaster, Fresno State’s College of
Engineering, the Air Force Research Laboratory/Propulsion Directorate,
California State University, Bakersfield and Antelope Valley College.
Santarelli most recently was the International Space Station
manufacturing and test coordinator at Hamilton, Sundstrand, Space, Land
& Sea – Rocketdyne. That group was responsible for coordination and
integration of multiple programs in the Space Electronics Test Facility.
Rocketdyne, originally a division of North American Aviation, was
acquired by Boeing (NYSE: BA), which sold it in 2005 to United
Technologies (UTX).
Before joining Rocketdyne in 1980, Santarelli served in the Air Force
and with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He has won
the Boeing Leadership Excellence Award, the NASA Manned Space Flight
Awareness Team Award and various other company individual performance
awards.
He is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the
National Management Association. Santarelli earned his BS degree in
engineering from California State University, Long Beach and his MBA
from Pepperdine University. He is working on an Ed.D in Organizational
Leadership at Pepperdine.
The College of Engineering at Fresno State offers bachelor's degree
programs in civil, computer, electrical, geomatics and mechanical
engineering, as well as in construction management. The college offers
master's degree programs in civil engineering and engineering with
options in electrical and mechanical engineering.
At the Lancaster center,
Fresno State offers bachelor of science degree programs in electrical
and mechanical engineering, and the master of science degree program in
engineering with options in mechanical engineering and electrical
engineering, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology.
“These degree programs are
offered in a hybrid live-taught/distance learning environment so as to
minimize Lancaster University Center students’ travel to the Fresno
campus,” Nunna said.
With the opening of the Mechanical Engineering laboratory building in
April 2007, and the expected opening of the Electrical Engineering
laboratory in August 2007, students at Lancaster can take all the
required laboratory courses for the Electrical Engineering and
Mechanical engineering degrees at the Lancaster center, Nunna said.
Students begin at the Antelope Valley College and complete two years of
study before transferring to Fresno State’s program to complete degree
requirements. A dual-admissions process between Antelope Valley College
and Fresno State is being discussed to make the transfer seamless.
For more information: College of Engineering at Fresno State,
559.278.2500; or Amie Steele, Lancaster University Center: 661.723.6429
ext. 103. |
