Paul Ellison

I am the Research Design Engineer for the Physics & Astronomy Department.

My job is to conceptualize, provide engineering design, and fabricate research equipment as part of a team of physicists engaged in competitive research.

I supervise and instruct research associates, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students in the conceptualization, engineering design, and fabrication of experimental devices, apparatus and equipment to be used in research.

I also troubleshoot, repair, calibrate and maintain equipment, devices and apparatus used in research and instructional laboratories and class demonstrations, as well as maintain building equipment and facilities which are crucial to our research.

I have worked in Research and Development since 1988. My first experience in Engineering, Design and Fabrication was working for a small engineering company in Milwaukee, WI. At the time, we were a small 5 person company which designed and built specialized equipment and devices for private industry. The owner was relentlessly strict about maintaining perfect precision and quality. He also had an incredible gift for improving existing designs, creating novel designs, and finding unique ways to design and fabricate precision products. I owe much of my "outside the box" thinking to the time I spent there.

As the years have gone by, I have worked on Research and Development projects for companies such as Harley-Davidson, General Dynamics, Ford, GM, Honda, Holeset, OMC, and Chrysler - just to name a few.

Even with over 30 years of Research and Development experience, I always find there is so much more to learn. We should never stop being students.