Education
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
About
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.
Expertise
- Engineering education in materials science
- Teamwork and leadership development
- Materials selection
- Thin films and materials characterization
- Welding and joining processes
Professional Activities
- Representative of ASEE Materials Division on the ASEE Committee on Diversity
- ABET workshops, training, training and seminars
- Attended 2017 Summer Institute on Project-Based Learning at 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
Awards and Honors
- 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
Selected Publications
- Vollaro, M.B., Klein, R.R., “Completing the pass: Leadership ‘on’ and ‘in’ the field,” Proceedings of the 2016 ASEE Annual National Conference
- Waters, C., Krause, S., Weeks, P., Vollaro, M.B., Dupen, B., and Callahan, J., “Revealing Student Misconceptions and Instructor Blind Spots with Muddiest Point Formative
Feedback,” Proceedings of 2016 ASEE Annual National Conference
- Vollaro, M.B., Klein, R.R., “Training for Leadership and Team Skills from Freshman Year Forward,” Proceedings of the 2015 ASEE Annual National Conference
- Vollaro, Mary B., and Brennan, Michael, “Leveraging student’s interests in a senior design project through integration of
materials selection methodology,” Proceedings of the 2014 ASEE National Conference
- Vollaro, M.B., “Information Literacy as part of the Materials Science Course,” Proceedings of the 2011 ASEE Annual Conference
- Vollaro, M.B., “Student Perception of a Series of Activities in a Manufacturing Processes Course,” Proceedings of the 2009 ASEE Annual National Conference
- Vollaro, M.B., “Materials Selection Exercises based on Current Events,” Proceedings of the 2007 ASEE Annual National Conference
- Vollaro, M.B., “Engineering Exploration for Junior Girls Scouts: Partnership, Activities, Insight,
and Reflection,” Proceedings of the 2006 ASEE Annual National Conference
- Vollaro, M.B., “More than Science Fair Fun: Poster Session as an Experiential Learning Activity in
the Classroom,” Proceedings of the 2005 ASEE Annual National 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.
