A Legacy of Action:
Dr. James Gerdeen, P.E.

Professor of Engineering Mechanics

Dr. James Gerdeen, shown above as Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department University of Colorado at Denver. and the Director of the Advanced Manufacturing Program.

James C. Gerdeen, received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Michigan Technological University, 1959), an M.S. in Engineering Mechanics (Ohio State University, 1962), and a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics (Stanford University, 1965). He was a Senior Research Engineer at Battelle (1959-1968) and a Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech (1968-1989). He served as Professor and Chair in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado-Denver (1989-2002).

His research interests have included Computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing (CAM); sheet metal forming; design with polymers and composites.

He returned to school, this time a theology school, and earned a Master of Divinity from the Association Free Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1980. But even before seminary, he served as a Lay Pastor at Maranatha Free Lutheran in Chassell, MI, and at Grace Free Lutheran in Pelkie, MI, in the 1970s. He even served on the AFLC Coordinating Committee (1974-1977). He has served as Interim Pastor in ND, MN, and MI at various times since the 1970s. He now lives in Columbia, Missouri, home of the University of Missouri, where he is an Affiliate Staff with "Faculty Commons", formerly "Christian Leadership Ministries" a group that supports Christian Faculty on university campuses. Jim as he prefers to be called, also volunteeers time at the International Community Church where he teachs "Engineering English" to international Ph.D.students, postdocs, and visiting scholars. He also helps them with their writing and oral presentations.

Photo: University of Colorado at Denver