Bon Voyage!

What legacy might one leave behind after forty-one years of service? For Brian Sangeorzan, Ph.D., recently retired professor and former chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME), it is a humbling question.

Indeed, the lifetime of teaching and service yielded many answers. From having served on nearly every SECS and many OU committees and having written or contributed to every report leading to the department’s ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) accreditation, to designing engineering spaces in Mathematics and Science Building and coordinating thermal science laboratories in the Engineering Center, his impact on students, colleagues, and the university at large has been nothing less of transformational.  Yet admittedly, it is his decades-long involvement with OU chapter of SAE (the International Society of Automotive Engineers) and thousands of mentorship miles that hold a special place in his legacy and his heart.

Growing up as the oldest of six children in Redford, Michigan, Dr. Sangeorzan learned the value of hard work from his father, a clay modeler at Ford. His mother, an English major graduate (B.A. and M.S.) from Marygrove College and a voracious reader, inspired him to pursue college education. Since the family had no means to pay tuition, a co-op plan offered at that time by the University of Detroit gave him an opportunity to obtain an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering in five years. 

“I would attend school one semester and then work another semester to save money. I worked countless jobs – print shop, welding shop, a janitor. One summer I worked 16-hour days, but I did graduate on time,” Dr. Sangeorzan recalls.  

Despite his busy schedule, for two of his college years, Dr. Sangeorzan also played lacrosse in Windsor, Ontario, where his team won the Ontario Junior Lacrosse Association championship.

During his co-op time, Dr. Sangeorzan was somewhat dissatisfied with the level of engineering analysis that was employed by the automotive industry. Thus, his emerging interest in solar energy and internal combustion engines led him to a Ph.D. program in the Engine Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, where he received a fellowship to study.

While still finishing up his graduate studies, Dr. Sangeorzan began his tenure at Oakland University as a visiting professor. At the time, OU had about 9,000 students, and mechanical engineering department was very small and informal. 

“OU was a small school ahead of its time. It was one of only four universities in Michigan that had ‘internet,’ the Mich,net connected to the ARPAnet – the pre-cursor to the modern internet.   The faculty at the department was exceptional, genuinely caring about teaching and research. So I stayed,” Dr. Sangeorzan shares.

In his third year at OU, Dr. Sangeorzan began his involvement with SAE. SAE had an established OU student chapter, but wasn’t involved in any Collegiate Design Team activities. Under his guidance, Super Millage competition was born, featuring student-built small-engine vehicles that were competing for best fuel economy.

The first student-built small-engine vehicle to compete in the Super Mileage competition for the best fuel economy..

“For a few years, we had a space in an old pig barn on campus with dirt floor and poor lighting. But it really didn’t stop the students who were excited about this project. In 2000, the club entered the Formula SAE competition, requiring a very different car for competition. We were given space first in Dodge Hall, then in the police building, and finally, moved to our present location in the Engineering Center,” says Dr. Sangeorzan, whose dedication to FSAE didn’t go unnoticed by his students. 

Darek Panucci, mechanical engineering senior and OU Formula SAE President, sees Dr. Sangeorzan as a remarkable mentor and avid supporter of the organization. “Not only did he made sure that our team stayed competitive, but he also guided our members to pursue their dream jobs by providing relevant preparation and valuable experiences. On a personal note, Dr. Sangeorzan has been a great mentor and advisor for me, leading to a job offer from my first-choice company. He played an integral role in preparing me for that position,” he states. 

Over the years, working along other mechanical engineering faculty members, Dr. Sangeorzan has also been a critical force in the growth of the department. ME expanded Thermal Science as well as Dynamics and Vibrations faculty, added Machine Learning and Controls, and increased depth in Combustion and Computation.  As department chair, he was responsible for hiring about a third of the existing ME faculty.

“Dr. Sangeorzan served as chair for nine years, leading the department to remarkable achievements, such as creating new concentrations in ME undergraduate degrees, increasing student enrollments, substantially growing faculty and research expenditure and fostering industry collaboration,” says Xia Wang, Ph.D., interim chair of the mechanical engineering department. 

Until COVID, ME’s enrollment was moving upward. With a recent shift to electrification, however, it has become more challenging to attract students. 

“There is a misconception among high school graduates that mechanical engineering is not as important. There is a need to highlight the role of ME in vehicle electrification and to reposition ME by focusing on areas necessary for further advancement of the economy, such as advanced materials, AI and sustainability,” says Dr. Sangeorzan about recent trends affecting the department.

Dr. Sangeorzan's impact, however, extends beyond professional milestones. According to Dr. Wang, he is also recognized as an exceptional mentor, colleague, and friend within the department. This is not a surprise given Dr. Sangeorzan’s life philosophy that impacted generation of students and colleagues alike: a human connection. 

“Before any role we assume in our lives, we are first and foremost human beings. Creating human connections with those around us forms the lasting memories and leads to a fulfilling life,” he says.

Dr. Sangeorzan’s retirement plans include his favorite hobby, windsurfing, as well as traveling and spending time with his grandchildren. Bon Voyage!