Title: Adjunct Professor
Company: University of Wisconsin
Location: Fairfax Station, Virginia, United States
Kurt J. Harris, Adjunct Professor at the University of Wisconsin, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Marine Engineering and Education.
Dr. Harris, an esteemed educator, joined the University of Wisconsin in Platteville in 2017 as an adjunct professor. His expertise in science and engineering has been instrumental in the classroom, where he teaches project management courses to graduate students. In addition to lecturing, he offers recommendations and other valuable information to help students succeed with their projects and provides mentorship in other areas. Furthermore, Dr. Harris offers online mentoring within the Project Management Institute (PMI) program in Saint Paul, Minneapolis.
Having begun his career in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Harris honorably served his country for over 20 years. He initially spent 10 years as a surface warfare officer before becoming an engineer and duty officer in shipyards. During his tenure, he operated numerous ships, worked on parent ships and oversaw marine engineers in solving complex problems. Dr. Harris retired as a force engineer and commander of the U.S. Naval Surface Forces, Pacific Fleet, in San Diego in 1996.
Following his military service, Dr. Harris joined Booz Allen Hamilton in Washington, D.C., as a consultant. He worked for the military contractor for two decades, spending over 10 years abroad in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, consulting on marine engineering. During the latter part of his career with Booz Allen Hamilton, Dr. Harris was an engineering analyst in Washington, D.C. Upon his retirement from the organization, he began teaching.
Highly educated, Dr. Harris received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Miami University in 1974, a Master of Science in naval architecture and marine engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge in 1984, and a Doctor of Philosophy in strategy, program and project management from SKEMA Business School in Lille, France, in 2016. Additionally, he garnered credentials as a program management professional and project management professional and completed a strategic thinking course through LinkedIn.
Besides his primary career objectives, Dr. Harris is an active member of PMI, allowing him to remain at the forefront of the industry. He also regularly reads documents and conducts research, which helps him stay informed. Equally active in his community, Dr. Harris has been affiliated with the Knights of Columbus through his parish, Nativity Roman Catholic Church.
In light of his hard work, Dr. Harris received Recognition Awards for various ship maintenance projects during his time abroad in Egypt in 1999. He attributes much of his success to his supportive wife and his ability to overcome and take on new challenges that will continue to inspire him. Moreover, Dr. Harris’s experience working internationally, traveling to various parts of the world, and collaborating with foreign nationals to help foreign customers succeed has been pivotal to his professional accomplishments.
Grateful for his many opportunities, Dr. Harris values his new academic career, which involves working with graduate students, assisting them with their projects and contributing to their success. He frequently shares his insights with them in project management, which keeps him intellectually engaged. His dedication to remaining connected with current industry trends has been pivotal to his success in the classroom and his ability to guide the next generation of professionals.
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