Introducing Dr. Wilson Terrell Jr. (Dr. T.)

Introduction  

My name is Dr. Wilson Terrell Jr., and I'm the Associate Vice-President for Academic for Academic Affairs: Inclusive Excellence. I started this position in June 2022.



In addition, I'm an Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Science. I have been at Trinity since 2003.



















I graduated with a B.S., M.S., and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Fighting Illini - home of the best deep dish pizza Papa Dels).




Interests

I have always love "making" since getting my first Lego set. While in high school, my favorite classes were math, physics, and chemistry. My physics teacher encouraged me to attend a summer engineering program at the University of Illinois, which helped me to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

Here at Trinity, I primarily teach upper division mechanical engineering type courses and labs, and freshmen engineering design.

This is the second time I have taught this course, when it was a pilot called ENGR 2191, Special Topics "How to Make" Course. Now it is an approved course on the catalog!!! I have also taught the freshmen engineering design ENGR 1381 in fall 2019 and 2021 (on leave fall 2020) where I incorporated Fusion 360 and the CSI Makerspace in the course.

I have been working with Dr. Leslie Bleamaster, Science Facility Manager, and the CSI technicians (Ryan Hodge, and Mark Carpenter) to make the machine/wood shop and electronics/instrumentation shop into what it's now called the "CSI Makerspace." We are moving away from a transactional model, where you give your design to the technician to fabricate, to a transformative and holistic approach, providing the education experience of students seeing a design from concept to fabrication. We see this facility as an experiential learning space, where students can acquire skills and use the equipment themselves.



Expectations

Our hope is to “democratize” academic making by incorporating it in the Humanities and Social Science along in STEM. I see great potential for academic making because it relates to our Trinity Tomorrow strategic plan: support expanding and strengthening experiential learning opportunities for all students; integrating professional programs with the liberal arts and sciences; ability to pursue partnerships with other institutions (including universities, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and cultural institutions). There are amazing things being developed, which I can’t wait to see come to fruition.

Below are some items I fabricated with the Markforged Onyx Pro 3D printer, which uses carbon fiber embedded in nylon. The photo on the left shows a cap to place on a tube for a viscometer, a measure viscosity of a fluid - how "thick" a fluid is. The photo on the right shows the base to hold the cap and viscometer tube.
     



I have also used the CSI Makerspace to make personal items for my family and friends:







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