Ross Smith

Ross Smith is an Assistant Professor of Practice and Director of the IDEELab at the Michael W. Hall School of Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University (2024–Present). He previously served as IDEELab Deputy Director (2022–Present) and Instructor (2022–2023). His roles emphasize industry-academia collaboration, focusing on preparing students for engineering careers through practical training and innovation.

Education:

• M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University
• B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Mississippi State University

Research & Specialties: Ross specializes in Lean/Six Sigma methodologies, facility design optimization, root cause analysis, and manufacturing/logistics systems. He also prioritizes engineering education innovation and legal engineering applications.

Professional Experience: Prior to academia, he worked at Caterpillar Inc. (2019–2022) in roles like Facilities Engineering and Supplier Quality Engineer. He also held positions as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (2018–2019), Engineering Consultant (2018–2019), and Process Engineer Intern at Toyota (2015–2017).

Awards & Grants: No specific awards or grants are listed in the provided text.

Labs/Teams: Leads the IDEELab, focusing on interdisciplinary engineering education and practical industry solutions.