Faculty

Primary Faculty

Dale Callahan, Ph.D., P.E., IEM Program Director, UAB School of Engineering

What do you do for IEM?

I am the IEM Program Director.

What classes do you teach, if any?

My primary classes are the Technical Entrepreneurship and the Technology
Ventures classes.

What is the one question you get asked most often about the IEM program?

“The question I get is from alumni asking how they can stay involved. The
network of new friends and the ability to think big and bold things with
like minded people is quickly missed after leaving classes. Fortunately we
have some very active alumni that are working hard to help reconnect. In
addition with the help of the faculty and alumni we are working to put on
other courses to be offered to alumni only – where we can all explore the
edges together again.”

Don Appleby IEM Director of Strategic Planning, UAB School of Engineering

“IEM changes you.  It isn’t just a degree program, it’s a development program.  Of course it has lectures and discussions and assigned readings – but those are just parts of a greater exercise in self-discovery and professional growth.  That’s what I got out of the program.  It was a turning point for me professionally and I am delighted, and grateful, that I can continue to be involved.”

~ Don Appleby January 5, 2009

What you do for IEM ?

I am an adjunct assistant professor plus “director of strategic planning.” I teach three courses and I also help in the areas of (1) making recommendations regarding the long-term direction of the program, (2) evaluating program performance and quality, and (3) assessing the relevance and vitality of the course offerings.

What classes you teach, if any ?

EE607 Information Engineering Technologies

EE608 Strategic Management

EE611 Special Topics in Information Engineering (which focuses largely on developing client communication skills).

What question do you get asked most often about the IEM Program?

“How is IEM different from an MBA program?”  The short answer is that IEM is a professional development program, not a business administration program.  I have much respect for MBA programs.  We are just different.  We develop specific business, technical, and professional skills using coaching and mentoring in combination with classroom instruction.

Brian M. Rabon, CSM, CSP, MSEE, PMP, President, Braintrust Consulting Group

“After graduating from the program in ‘06 I knew that I wanted to stay closely involved. The IEM community is vibrant and full of energy, it has a buzz about it. I love getting to know new clients each semester and sharing my passion for project management with them.”

~Brian Rabon January 8, 2010

What do you do for IEM?

Adjunct Instructor and Newsletter Editor

What classes do you teach, if any?

EE606 Technical Project Management

EE615 Business Process Modeling

What is the one question you get asked most often about the IEM program?

“Will IEM help me advance up the corporate ladder?” Yes. IEM teaches leadership, communication, and presentation skills, just to name a few. These skills are often looked for by upper management and are often critical to your ability to move up in an organization

“What type of person would benefit most from the program?” Anyone seeking a fast track career in IT or wanting to start their own business.


Jennifer Skjellum, RunTime Computing Solutions, LLC

Not pictured:

Murat Tanik, Ph.D., Professor, UAB School of Engineering

Gregg Vaughn, Ph.D., P.E., Professor and Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UAB School of Engineering

John Giordano, VP Information Security, Sungard

David Green, Instructional Associate Professor, UAB School of Engineering

Other Faculty/Speakers

  • Will Brooke, COO, Harbert Management Corporation
  • Drew Deaton, Director of Finance, MedMined
  • Jud Hennington III, Maynard, Cooper & Gale, P.C.
  • Mike Mauldin, Special Agent, FBI
  • Chris Mangum, CEO, VentureX Group
  • Tom Fanning, COO, Southern Company
  • Tanveer Patel, CEO, Circlesource
  • Gene Price, Partner, Burr & Foreman LLP
  • Jim Sharp, Amsource
  • Tim Taylor, founder Endius
  • Gary York, Ph.D. , past President, Awarix, Inc.

* Other instructors include experts on specific topics from industry, government, and academia.