Biography
Elizabeth (Liz) Kisenwether is an Assistant Professor in the School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs and Director, Engineering Entrepreneurship (E-SHIP) Minor, College of Engineering. Liz holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Penn State (1979), and M.S.E.E. degrees from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1981) and The Johns Hopkins University (1988). She worked in industry for 11 years with large defense contractor (HRB Systems/Raytheon), and then co-founded and worked for five years with a high-tech startup (Paragon Technology), which developed digital video add-in cards/modules for laptop and rugged portable computers. Since joining Penn State in 1999, Liz has taught design courses in the Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil and Environmental Engineering Departments, School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs (SEDTAPP). In 2001, she became director of the Problem-Based Learning in Entrepreneurship project (underwritten by the GE Fund), and in 2002 was named Director of the Engineering Entrepreneurship Minor. Liz has been supporting the launch of Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) at Penn State, as well as the NSF-sponsored Hybrid and Electric Vehicle M3 (Manipulatives, Motivation and Mentoring) Education Program. She also is President and founder of KidTech, Inc, a non-profit engineering outreach company developing hands-on design and problem-based learning kits and activities for K-12 youth.
