Alumni

Back to the Future: Celebrating 30 Years of the GM EV1 at Kettering

lmadaus — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:45:44 +0000

Back to the Future: Celebrating 30 Years of the GM EV1 at Kettering

lmadaus Thu, 09/24/2026 - 08:45

On Sept. 17, engineers, program leaders and colleagues from GM’s EV1 team filled the garage at ��Ķ��vlog’s GM Mobility Research Center for a reunion marking 30 years since the revolutionary electric vehicle’s launch.

Many arrived wearing clothing from GM’s early EV programs: teal Electric Vehicle Division polos, “Precept” denim button-downs and vibrant “Impact” T-shirts. They were literally wearing their history on their sleeves.

“Most anniversaries celebrate something we can no longer touch,” ��Ķ��vlog President Dr. Robert K. McMahan told the group, gesturing toward the University’s EV1. “But this one is parked right over there.”

The EV1 grew out of years of experimental work inside General Motors. In 1987, GM developed Sunraycer, the solar-powered vehicle that crossed Australia to win the inaugural World Solar Challenge. Lessons from that program helped lead to Impact, the electric concept GM unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 1990. Bob Purcell, a leader on the EV1 program, recalled how the Impact demonstrated what was possible.

“The truth of the matter is, it was a concept car,” Purcell said. “There were a lot of parts in there you could never make in continuous production. There was a lot of inventiveness, a lot of creative stuff, but it worked.”

The challenge for the EV1 team was to turn that working concept into a production vehicle. For Purcell, the engineering required to make that leap remains one of the program’s defining accomplishments.

“The engineering in the EV1 was absolutely a tour de force,” he said. “It was the first of its kind, way ahead of the rest of the industry.”

Some of the ideas first explored through those programs were on display and in motion at the reunion. Cadillac of Novi supported the ride-and-drive portion of the event, giving attendees the opportunity to take several vehicles onto Kettering’s proving ground test track. GM Cadillac arranged the static display featuring the CELESTIQ, LYRIQ, OPTIQ and ESCALADE IQ.

Kristian Aquilina, vice president of Global Cadillac, said the questions raised by EV1 still resonate in the way automakers think about new technology and the vehicles built around it.

“What’s really cool about EV1 is that it still asks a question we’re answering to this very day,” he said. “What if you were to build a luxury vehicle around a new technology? How would that inform the overall definition of that product, the design of that product, the experience and the customer interaction?”

The gathering also underscored that the EV1’s legacy was not confined to technology. Event committee lead Linda Ludek Brouns, who worked on EV1 propulsion systems during her career at GM, reflected on what the program had meant to her.

“I’ve had some fantastic experiences at General Motors, but my favorite job in more than 30 years at GM was being a propulsion systems engineer for the EV1,” Brouns said.

Purcell’s memories were equally personal. The relationships formed while developing the car, he said, extended well beyond the work itself.

“We were family. We really were,” he said. “It was more than just making a car. It was making history.”

Part of that history eventually found a home at Kettering.

In 2001, GM’s Advanced Technology Vehicles organization identified the University as a potential recipient of a first-generation EV1 for educational purposes. In its original correspondence, GM expressed its desire to see the vehicles “utilized by the next generation of engineering and science students and researchers.” The University later loaned its EV1 to the Sloan Museum to support public understanding of electric vehicle technology before the car returned to campus.

That educational purpose remains part of the EV1’s role at Kettering. President McMahan challenged students at the reunion to learn not only what the team accomplished, but how its members responded when the work did not go as planned.

“Find one of these engineers and ask them what went wrong and what they did about it the next morning,” he said. “That is the part of engineering that no textbook fully captures. And the people who can teach it to you are here today.”

Returning once more to the car beside them, McMahan summed up the distinction between preserving an engineering achievement and preserving what can still be learned from the people who created it.

“What you built is parked right here,” he told them. “But how you built it never retired.”

Sobey Lecture Series

eoboyle — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:12:42 +0000

Sobey Lecture Series

Alumni

eoboyle Thu, 07/30/2026 - 17:12

2026-08-10T12:20:00-0400 _2026-08-10T13:10:00-0400

Virtual

Date: August 10, 2026
Time: 12:20 - 1:10 PM

Sobey Lecture Series with Michael Russell ‘13 - Virtual Event

��Ķ��vlogAlumni Networking, Classes of 2016 - 2025

eoboyle — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:49:04 +0000

��Ķ��vlogAlumni Networking, Classes of 2016 - 2025

Alumni

eoboyle Thu, 07/16/2026 - 12:49

2026-08-21T17:00:00-0400 _2026-08-21T18:30:00-0400

Friday, August 21, 2026 5:00–6:30 p.m.
Learning Commons, ��Ķ��vlog Campus

Class of 1986 - 40th Anniversary Reception

eoboyle — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:48:30 +0000

Class of 1986 - 40th Anniversary Reception

Alumni

eoboyle Wed, 07/15/2026 - 10:48

2026-09-19T16:00:00-0400 _2026-09-19T18:30:00-0400

Celebrating the Class of 1986
40th Anniversary Reception

September 19, 2026

Campus Tours: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Reception: 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Business Insider: ��Ķ��vlog Leads Michigan Graduates in Earnings

lmadaus — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:48:47 +0000

Business Insider: ��Ķ��vlog Leads Michigan Graduates in Earnings

Alumni

Undergraduate

lmadaus Wed, 06/17/2026 - 08:48

A new analysis of U.S. Department of Education data has identified ��Ķ��vlog as the Michigan institution with the highest-earning graduates four years after completing their degrees.

The finding comes from a recent Business Insider analysis of federal College Scorecard data, which examined median annual earnings for former students who received federal financial aid. According to the analysis, ��Ķ��vloggraduates report median annual earnings of $100,000 four years after graduation, the highest figure among public and private nonprofit colleges and universities in Michigan.

The ranking places ��Ķ��vlogahead of every other eligible institution in the state and adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the long-term value of a ��Ķ��vlogeducation.

The Business Insider analysis is based on the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard database, which reports median earnings for former federal-aid recipients four years after graduation.

Earlier this year, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce ranked ��Ķ��vlog No. 35 nationally among nonprofit colleges and universities for 40-year return on investment. Georgetown's return-on-investment rankings evaluate institutions using federal earnings data, average net price after financial aid, and projected financial returns over a 40-year period.

Together, the two analyses suggest that ��Ķ��vloggraduates experience strong financial outcomes both early in their careers and over the long term.

Kettering's undergraduate model combines rigorous classroom instruction with paid cooperative education experiences. Students earn income throughout their education, helping offset tuition and other expenses while building valuable professional experience.

By alternating academic and work terms, students graduate with established industry connections and practical skills sought by employers. Equipped with years of relevant experience before earning their degrees, many ��Ķ��vloggraduates are positioned to take on greater responsibility and achieve stronger earning potential from the start of their careers.

As prospective students and families increasingly consider career outcomes alongside the cost of higher education, these national analyses provide additional insight into the long-term value of a ��Ķ��vlogeducation. For both recent graduates beginning their careers and alumni with decades of workforce experience, the data point to consistently strong economic outcomes.

��Ķ��vlog Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

lmadaus — Mon, 18 May 2026 13:40:24 +0000

��Ķ��vlog Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

“��Ķ��vlog played a significant role in building the foundation that guides my professional life to this day.“

Alumnus Qasar Younis
Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition

lmadaus Mon, 05/18/2026 - 09:40

��Ķ��vlog will award alumnus Qasar Younis ’04, co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree (Dr.Eng. h.c.), when he addresses the Class of 2026 at Commencement on June 20, 2026.

Younis leads one of the most closely watched companies in AI. Applied Intuition takes intelligence and puts it in physical machines and has become one of the world leaders in the category of “physical AI.”

The company’s work now spans automotive, defense, trucking, mining, construction and agriculture. A recent Forbes feature highlighted both its technical depth and ambitious scope, describing Younis as an “execution machine” who’s helping shape the future of intelligent systems.

“Qasar’s career is the ��Ķ��vlogmodel in compressed form,” said Robert K. McMahan, President of ��Ķ��vlog. “He started in engineering and manufacturing production while a student and now leads a company building the digital infrastructure for intelligent machines across many industries around the globe. The arc is not coincidence. It is what happens when rigorous engineering education is built around real professional responsibility from the first year forward.”

Younis began his career in the same environment that has shaped generations of ��Ķ��vloggraduates. As a student, he split his time between the classroom and industry, taking on engineering responsibilities while working across General Motors tech centers and factories through Kettering’s cooperative education model, which places students in paid, professional industry rotations every twelve weeks from their first year through graduation.

Before founding Applied Intuition, Younis founded TalkBin, a messaging platform acquired by Google Maps, where he became one of the product and engineering leads. He subsequently served as a Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Y Combinator—the preeminent accelerator in Silicon Valley, which spawned OpenAI, Cruise, DoorDash, Twitch, Reddit, Coinbase and others—where he guided high-growth startups through critical stages of development.

He co-founded Applied Intuition to address a core challenge of intelligent machines: how to safely design, test and validate complex autonomous systems through simulation before they are deployed in the real world. The company’s platform is now used by dozens of top manufacturers around the globe and the United States Department of Defense.

His return resonates beyond any single industry. Kettering’s graduates are entering an economy in which the boundaries between mechanical, electrical and software engineering are dissolving, and in which physical systems across nearly every sector are being rebuilt around intelligence and autonomy.

“��Ķ��vlog played a significant role in building the foundation that guides my professional life to this day,” said Younis. “It taught me how to solve hard, real-world problems and approach complex challenges with confidence and curiosity. I’m honored to return to Flint to speak to its next class of leaders and engineers, who are entering one of the most transformative and exciting moments in industrial and technological history.”

As artificial intelligence reshapes industries and redefines the nature of engineering work, Younis has emerged as a leading voice on how intelligent systems can be deployed safely and at scale in the real world.

“The graduates Qasar will address are entering an economy that is being rebuilt around physical AI and autonomous systems: in vehicles, in defense, in industrial operations, in agriculture,” McMahan said. “That is the field he helped define. There is no one better positioned to speak to what this class is walking into.”

The 2026 Commencement will honor graduates with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, computer science and management.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

2026 Sobey Lecture Series

eoboyle — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:11:50 +0000

2026 Sobey Lecture Series

Alumni

Lecture

eoboyle Wed, 04/29/2026 - 14:11

2026-05-05T12:20:00-0400 _2026-05-05T13:20:00-0400

��Ķ��vlogalumni are invited to hear Dr. Rob Rowe, Ph. D. '85, at the Albert Sobey Lecture of Leadership and Ethics at 12:20 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 5, during a special live webcast on Ethics and Leadership Centering on AI.

Dr. Rowe is a senior technologist with deep domain knowledge in AI, computer vision, machine learning, biometrics, fraud detection, and other related applications. He is a proven leader of high-tech teams developing state-of-the-art commercial products, and is the co-founder and CTO of a successful start-up. Dr. Rowe develops and applies deep learning and other machine learning methods across a wide range of applications. He has broad patent experience as both an inventor (70+ US patents) and as a portfolio manager of intellectual property.

This special webcast is available only to alumni of ��Ķ��vlog and GMI. All registrations will be confirmed before receiving the special webcast link.

The link to view the webcast live will be emailed on May 4.

Note: This is a free virtual event

Ethics and Leadership Centering on AI

Once the Green Flag Drops: How TaiJaune Robinson Engineers Success for GM Motorsports

lmadaus — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:53:49 +0000

Once the Green Flag Drops: How TaiJaune Robinson Engineers Success for GM Motorsports

Alumni

lmadaus Mon, 02/16/2026 - 08:53

As Engineering Business Manager for GM Motorsports, TaiJaune Robinson M’21 plays a pivotal role in some of racing’s biggest moments, an impact powered by her ��Ķ��vlog graduate education.

Raised in Youngstown, Ohio, Robinson’s educational journey began at Youngstown State University's Early College program, where she earned her associate’s degree before completing her high school diploma. That early acceleration laid the foundation for her pursuit of advanced study at ��Ķ��vlog, where she earned her Master of Science in Lean Manufacturing, a program built around systems thinking, operational decision-making, and real-world application.

Today, Robinson works at the center of one of the world's most competitive and fast-moving industries. From overseeing the HVAC module of the C8 Corvette to now coordinating GM’s motorsports efforts across NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA, WEC, off-road, supercars, and Cadillac’s newest entry in Formula 1, she has built her career on technical depth, confidence, and cross-functional leadership.

Robinson credits her Lean Manufacturing degree at ��Ķ��vlogwith providing her with the tools to optimize complex systems and the people who operate within them. That systems-level mindset is increasingly visible across GM Motorsports, including within Cadillac Racing, now led by ��Ķ��vlogalumna Keely Bosn, as the organization aligns teams, technology, and long-term strategy across series.

One standout project required Robinson to design a comprehensive work cycle for a product from scratch. “Building this work cycle forced me to see all of the contributing factors for running a successful organization with minimal waste,” she recalls. “I learned how to manage budgets, engineering services, legal agreements, capacity planning, and operational priorities that extend well beyond the shop floor.”

Kettering’s emphasis on teamwork was equally formative. In labs and collaborative projects, students are expected to contribute as both individuals and team members. “You’re forced to contribute as a team member, identify the strengths in your team members and leverage them,” she explains.

Those skills became critical when Robinson entered the motorsports industry. “I had absolutely no idea that I would end up in Motorsports,” she admits. “This role came to me through a mentor who challenged me to look beyond what I thought I knew and reminded me that my goal is to make a difference. What better way to do that than to BE the difference?”

That philosophy resonates as Cadillac prepares to take the global stage. “The Cadillac Formula 1 Team project is super exciting, and I am extremely proud to be a part,” Robinson says. “We are doing something here that none of our competitors have done. This effort brings global visibility to the technical expertise within General Motors.”

Not surprisingly, things move fast in motorsports, and that’s exactly what Robinson loves about it. “One of the coolest parts about my job is that no one day looks the same,” she says. “While the majority of my work is done prior to unloading at the track, when I am at the racetrack, I am typically meeting and collaborating with leadership from our partner teams and sanctioning bodies.”

From simulations to predictive analytics, her team’s “invisible” work determines how cars perform. “Our tools must be as close to real life as possible to be effective in prepping our drivers for what’s to come once the green flag drops,” Robinson explains.

But the best part about raceday? “Victory Lane!” Robinson explains. “We have some pretty awesome race teams under the Chevy and Cadillac umbrellas, and the most rewarding feeling is celebrating a win with the team.”

Just as ��Ķ��vlogopened doors for her, Robinson now makes it a priority to open doors for others. She leads inclusion activities at tracks, partners with programs like Racing with Rajah, and invites students who have never set foot in a garage to see behind the scenes.

“When I meet students who have never been around racing before, I open the door by simply sharing my own story,” she says. “As a kid from the east side of Youngstown, my story and journey have been everything but traditional. I encourage students to see that it doesn’t matter where you come from, as long as you are willing to learn and grow, you can have a career in motorsports.”

Alumni Outing - Tigers vs. Red Sox

eoboyle — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:01:17 +0000

Alumni Outing - Tigers vs. Red Sox

Alumni

eoboyle Wed, 02/11/2026 - 13:01

2026-03-10T13:00:00-0400 _2026-03-10T18:00:00-0400

Jet Blue Park, Fort Meyers, Florida

Ticket and gathering information

Alumni Social in Arizona

eoboyle — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:27:06 +0000

Alumni Social in Arizona

Alumni

eoboyle Tue, 02/03/2026 - 13:27

2026-03-13T17:00:00-0400 _2026-03-13T19:00:00-0400

Nextspace (Scottsdale, AZ)

Alumni

Back to the Future: Celebrating 30 Years of the GM EV1 at Kettering

Sobey Lecture Series

���Ķ���vlogAlumni Networking, Classes of 2016 - 2025

Class of 1986 - 40th Anniversary Reception

Business Insider: ���Ķ���vlog Leads Michigan Graduates in Earnings

���Ķ���vlog Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker

2026 Sobey Lecture Series

Once the Green Flag Drops: How TaiJaune Robinson Engineers Success for GM Motorsports

Alumni Outing - Tigers vs. Red Sox

Alumni Social in Arizona

��Ķ��vlogAlumni Networking, Classes of 2016 - 2025

Business Insider: ��Ķ��vlog Leads Michigan Graduates in Earnings

��Ķ��vlog Names Alumnus Qasar Younis, Co-founder and CEO of Applied Intuition, as 2026 Commencement Speaker