
Dear friends and partners of Marquette Engineering,
I am excited to share another issue of Marquette Engineer and its inspirational stories of our Marquette engineering students, faculty, staff, alumni and collaborators. This special digest showcases how our Marquette engineers ignite curiosity and creativity to lead bold change.
As we kick off 2025, I am motivated by these stories of curiosity, community and impact. They remind me that each new year holds so much potential for new discoveries, exciting milestones and unexpected moments of friendship and growth. These stories also remind me that although time seems to race along, we can always look back and observe how our past efforts, visions and choices have paved unexpected, innovative paths that we may not have recognized along the way.
In one story, we see how an interdisciplinary team of researchers can come together to solve complex environmental problems and bring new solutions into our world. As Dr. Brooke Mayer shares her story and insights, we understand how this engineering leader has built a career focused on creative collaboration and real impact for our students and our planet.
In another story, we explore an electrical engineering leader’s vision for a better world and his innovative work to make it a reality. Dr. Ayman EL-Refaie confidently asks what if questions about electric vehicles and power, and then commits his technical expertise to create a how.
I am also struck by how both Ayman and Brooke manage to dream and lead simultaneously — with eyes on the future, they take action every day to make a difference.
And in our third story, focused on our Stanley V. Jaskolski Discovery Learning Laboratory, we explore a space that intentionally fosters learning, creativity and community for hundreds of students each year. In the year ahead, this space will spark countless new ideas, passions, friendships and moments of transformation for our students. As I look ahead with excitement, I also look back with admiration at the leaders who envisioned this space years ago. Their creativity and confidence have flourished in the hearts, minds and careers of thousands of engineers who were shaped by this learning space.
Please join me in celebrating these stories and supporting our Ignatian-inspired engineers! As you consider your year ahead, remember that your potential to Be The Difference is limited only by hesitation to continue on the path that you’ve begun to shape.
With gratitude,
Dr. Kristina Ropella
Opus Dean
Opus College of Engineering
