2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

1. Robert Lee Gass Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Purdue University – West Lafayette [biography]

   Robert “Bob” Gass is a certified project management executive and a Lean Six Sigma professional with a talent for empowering senior leadership teams struggling to bring order to projects to achieve their strategic goals. Bob cut his teeth on process, planning, and execution of highly complex projects during his career in the US Navy, working his way up through the ranks to becoming a decorated naval officer.
   Following his retirement from the Navy, Bob began environmental work with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, where he worked on compliance projects from dock and pier construction to the first dam removal in the state. At the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Bob helped draft federally regulated documentation for the first controlled sinking of the aircraft carrier America, providing invaluable data to aid in constructing next-generation aircraft carriers.
   Throughout his career, Bob has had extensive cross-functional experience managing projects for high-profile clients, including Nordstrom, Target, Macy’s, Morgan Stanley, and the U.S. Postal Service. With this expertise to his credit, Bob was recruited by Telaid to manage projects for its extensive, high-end, global client base. He was continually rewarded for his revenue-generating accomplishments with progressive promotions and enhanced scope of leadership responsibility.
   Bob’s influence within Telaid was profound. He helped grow gross revenue from $30M to $100M+ during his tenure. He authored a white paper that served as the roadmap to Telaid’s growth plan trajectory to $100M and instituted the company’s first standardized project management process, along with the implementation of a robust risk management program.
   As Director of Project Planning, Bob implemented his vision of creating “one standard PMO” of three independent project management offices. Telaid will continue to reap benefits from his efforts, such as synergies, collaboration, and cost savings. Known as the operational “front man” for the Telaid sales team, Bob’s philosophy to his team is “Sales brings them to us. We keep them coming back.”
   Bob was most recently the Program Director of the Global Multisite Delivery Team at Black Box Corporation, overseeing a $50M+ portfolio and a team of project management professionals. He introduced best practices for the triple constraints, up-to-the-minute status reporting on all projects, and project planning protocols based on personally developed PTMAPP (plan to make a project plan), paving the way for world-class project performance.
   Bob has a Master of Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science from the United States Naval Academy. Bob is also a doctoral student at Purdue University, pursuing a Doctor of Technology degree focusing on Project Management. He combines his passion for project management with the discipline he acquired during his naval service to deliver flawless projects and unparalleled customer service that has become the hallmark of his brand.

2. Dr. Anne M Lucietto http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0053-753X Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Purdue University – West Lafayette [biography]

   Dr. Lucietto has focused her research on engineering technology education and the understanding of engineering technology students. She teaches in an active learning style that engages and develops practical skills in the students. Currently, she is exploring a variety of topics related to her students' interests.

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026