Khalil S. Taraman, Ph.D, FSME, PE and D.I.T. chair of manufacturing engineering, Lawrence Technological University (LTU), Southfield, Michigan, has been named president of the SME Education Foundation board of directors for 2011, his second term in this position. Taraman's commitment to manufacturing engineering education, which spans more than 40 years, includes mentoring young men and women and encouraging them to pursue viable careers in manufacturing, engineering, science and technology.

An incumbent officer and SME member since 1970, Taraman joined the SME Education Foundation in 1992 serving as chair of its nominating committee for a number of years before being elected vice president in 2008. His many awards include being named SME Educator of the Year-SME Region VII, California in 1988; SME Fellow in 1991, receiving the SME International Siegel Award in 1998, and being given the Outstanding Leadership Award in 1999 and 2000.

A graduate of Ain Shams University in Egypt, Taraman earned a BSME in 1964 and a MSME in 1967. He secured a MSME in 1969 from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D in 1971 from Texas Tech University.  Prior to joining LTU, Taraman was a professor at the University of Detroit for 16 years, where he was director of the Manufacturing Engineering Institute and ME Chairman. He served as senior technical consultant to many companies, the most notable being Bendix, Ford Motor Company, and General Electric. In 1986, Taraman joined LTU to serve as dean and associate dean of engineering. Today, he is the DIT chair of manufacturing engineering and director of manufacturing systems graduate programs. He has supervised more than 100 graduate students who obtained their master and doctorate of engineering under his direction at GM, Ford, Bendix, Chrysler, Westinghouse, GE and Daimler-Chrysler.

Joining Taraman on the SME Education board of directors are: vice president/secretary: Brian A. Ruestow, operations manager, F. W. Roberts Manufacturing Co., Inc.; treasurer/chair of finance: Peter F. Mackie, senior vice president - investments, Wells Fargo Advisors LLC; and assistant treasurer/vice chair of finance: Edward Swallow, vice president, business development, civil systems division, Northrop Grumman Information Systems.