Trailblazers
Graduates of the College of Engineering have become pioneers in technology, aerospace and government. Here are some outstanding examples of how our alumni are changing the world:
Greg Badros, MS ’98, PhD ’00 Computer Science & Engineering
Greg Badros is the vice president of Engineering & Products
at Facebook, leading advertising, search and data science.
Prior to working at Facebook, Greg was the senior director
of engineering at Google, and led the AdSense engineering
team as well as Gmail, Calendar, and Reader. He joined
Facebook in 2009 and grew the advertising systems to
hundreds of billions of impressions per day.
Andrew Benedek, PhD ‘70 Chemical Engineering
Andrew Benede developed
membrane technology that has revolutionized the water treatment
industry and brought clean water to communities
across the world. He founded ZENON Environmental Inc.
and the resulting “Z-Weed” membranes are currently used
in over 440 wastewater and drinking water treatment plants
across the globe.
Tami Bond, MSME '93, Interdisciplinary PhD '00
Tami Bond is recognized as a leading researcher on the effects of black carbon emission and atmospheric pollution on global climate and human health and a 2014 MacArthur Fellow. Read more »
Peter Janicki, MS ’89 Mechanical Engineering
Peter Janicki is the founder of Janicki Industries, a global leader in design and manufacture of composite tooling.
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Sally Jewell, BS ‘78 Mechanical Engineering
Sally Jewell is the 51st United States Secretary of the Interior, leading an agency
with over 70,000 employees. In this role, she is responsible
for stewarding 20 percent of the nation’s lands, including
national parks and wildlife refuges. Prior to becoming
Secretary, Sally was the president and CEO of REI, a
national outdoor retailer and the nation’s largest consumer
cooperative.
Gregory C. Johnson, BS '77 Aeronautics & Astronautics
Greg Johnson piloted the space shuttle Atlantis on the last service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Jon Magnusson, BS ’75 Civil Engineering
Jon Magnusson is the former
chairman and CEO of Magnusson Klemencic Associates
(MKA), an international award-winning structural and civil
engineering firm in Seattle. He has been responsible for
the structure of Seattle landmarks including the Experience
Music Project, Benaroya Hall, Safeco Field, Seahawks
Stadium, and the Seattle Central Library.
Marleen Martinez, BS '06 Aeronautics & Astronautics
Marleen Martinez develops spacecraft for lunar exploration for the Lockheed Martin team at NASA Johnson Space Center. She hopes her work with the Avionics Systems Engineering Group will realize her goal of becoming an astronaut. Closer to home, Martinez offered her insights to help develop STARS program that supports highly motivated students who are eligible for financial aid. See Martinez featured on PBS' Makers: Women in Space at about 49:00:00.
Krishna Nadella, PhD '09, MS '02 Mechanical Engineering
Krishna Nadella is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of MicroGREEN Polymers. Read more »
Wayne Quinton, MS '59 Mechanical Engineering
Recognized as the father of bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering alumnus Wayne Quinton founded Quinton Instruments, a pioneering innovator in medical devices ranging from treadmills to cardiac diagnostic equipment.
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Steve Rogel, BS ‘65 Chemical Engineering
Steve Rogel is one of the
pulp and paper industry’s most respected and well-known
leaders. During his tenure as CEO, he guided Willamette
Industries to the top of the market and transformed
Weyerhaeuser into one of the largest forest products
companies in the world.
John Roundhill, BS ’67, MS ’73 Mechanical Engineering
John Roundhill is the
former vice president of product strategy and development
of The Boeing Commercial Airplane Group. During his 37
years at Boeing, he served in product development and
engineering positions that include Director of Engineering
for the 737/757 programs, and Chief Project Engineer for
the 767 Freighter. For the 777, his responsibilities included
preliminary design, product development, and marketing.
As a two-time graduate of the UW, he served as the Boeing
liaison for many years.