Abel Fernandez

Abel Fernandez is a Professor and Director of the Engineering Management Program at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. He holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida, along with ME and BS degrees in Electric Power Engineering and an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). With over 12 years of industry experience at TRW, Inc. and Harris Corporation (where he held an executive role), his background bridges industry and academia.

Education:

• PhD, Industrial Engineering, University of Central Florida, 1995
• MBA, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1976
• ME, Electric Power Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1976
• BS, Electric Power Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1974

Research Focus: Dr. Fernandez specializes in project management methodologies, with emphasis on risk analysis, stochastic scheduling, and decision modeling. His research extends to engineering education, systems optimization, and sociotechnical process analysis. His work integrates quantitative methods like Bayesian probability and Quality Function Deployment to solve real-world engineering challenges.

Publication Trends: His 15 most recent publications (2000-2006) span engineering education pedagogy, project risk management, and technology evaluation. Dominant themes include curriculum development, statistical process optimization, and organizational knowledge management. Methodological rigor is evident through applications of logit models, Bayesian analysis, and sociotechnical frameworks.

Awards:

• NASA Graduate Student Research Fellowship

Professional Credentials: Registered Professional Engineer (State of Texas) with expertise in translating theoretical models into industrial applications. His industry background informs research on project management efficacy in complex technical environments.