Dr. Mary B. Vollaro is chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and an associate
professor of mechanical engineering at Florida Polytechnic University. Prior to that,
she was assistant, then associate professor of mechanical engineering from 1997 to
2016 at Western New England University (WNE) in Springfield, Massachusetts. While
there she was involved in university governance and chaired the Faculty Senate (twice)
and the General University Requirements Committee and the Academic Standards Committee
multiple times. She developed the Honors Program in the College of Engineering, as
well as the Grand Challenge Scholars Program at WNE.
Vollaro has held engineering positions in industry and holds one patent. Involved
with engineering education, she was chair of the ASEE Materials Division and continues
to be active in that ASEE Division. She has written in the area of materials science
education and is now working on leadership and teaming activities for engineers.
September 2011,Kern Entrepreneurship Education Network (KEEN), Phase 1, $75,000
Summer 2011, Scholarship for Olin I2E2 faculty workshop,Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century: Designing for Student Engagement, Franklin W. Olin College
Ph.D. in Materials Science, Field of Metallurgy, University of Connecticut, 1996
M.S. in Metallurgy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Hartford Graduate Center, 1986
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Western New England University, 1983
Engineering education in materials science
Teamwork and leadership development
Materials selection
Thin films and materials characterization
Welding and joining processes
Representative of ASEE Materials Division on the ASEE Committee on Diversity
ABET workshops, training, training and seminars
Attended2017 Summer Institute on Project-Based Learningat Worcester Polytechnic Institute, June 21-24, 2017.
Attended workshop,Engineering Leadership Lab Demonstration, at 2015 ASEE Conference
Attended workshop,Web-Enabled Tools and Resources for More Effective Teaching and Learning,at 2014 ASEE Annual Conference
Vollaro, M.B. and Potter, D. I., “Phase Formation in Coevaporated Ni-Cr Thin Films,”
Thin Solid Films, 239 (1994) 37-46.
Vollaro, M.B. and Miller, J.A., “Quality and Inspection of Brazed Joints,” American
Society of Metals (ASM) Handbook, Vol. 6, Welding, Brazing and Soldering, 1993, American
Society of Metals (ASM), 1117-1123.