Ken Pickar
Visiting Professor of Mechanical Engineering

California Institute of Technology
101 Thomas, Mail Code 104-44
Pasadena, CA 91125
(626) 395-4185

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News
We are beginning E/ME 103 Management of Technology. Lots of cool technologies to examine with the theme being Innovation. We have great guest speakers lined up and all Caltech students are invited to hear them in Thomas 206. The first, next Tuesday April 10th, is Steve Streit, CEO of Green Dot. On Thursday April 19th, we will have Caltech's own Erik Antonsson, talking about Innovation at Northup Grumman. On April 24th, we will have Henry Kressel, Managing Partner of Warburg Pincus on Innovation at SRI, the people who brought you Siri.

Caltech
Visiting Professor of Mechanical Engineering, 1998-present,
J. Stanley Johnson Visiting Professor of Mechanical Engineering, 1999-2003

Caltech Associates talk on "Product Design for the Developing World" class. More on Making Wheelchairs for the Developing World.

A recent interview on the Frank Peter's show

Teaching Areas of Interest
My classes are taught at the junction of science, engineering and business by applying my background in mechanical and electrical engineering technology management and in physics.  I am particularly interested in the start-up and continuous growth of technology-based companies, and the modification of normative product development processes to address developing world challenges. 

Faculty Advisor
Entrepreneur's Club
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Consulting Club
NetImpact 

Business Background (partial)
Allied Signal (now Honeywell) Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology
GE Corporate R&D Manager of The Electronics Laboratories
Bell Laboratories Member of the Technical Staff

Boards of Director Positions

Public: Neustar (1999-2011) IPO New York Stock Exchange in 2005
Ness Technologies (2003-2008) NASDAQ
Level One (1999-2000) NASDAQ sold to Intel in 2000
Private:

H2Scan (2004-2011 )
(also many advisory roles)

Non Profit:

Albany Medical School and Medical Center (1988-1992)
Los Angeles County Regional Food Bank (2004- ). Central food distributer.
South Coast Botanical Garden (2005- ) Los Angeles County Botanical Garden in Palos Verdes
Intelligent Mobility (2007- ) non profit wheelchair provider spun out of E/ME 105
(Also many advisory committees)

Tech Coast Angels (Southern California early stage investing network)
Executive committee LA Chapter (1999- )

Education
B.S., Queens College, City University of New York;
Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania (Critical Velocity of Superfluid Liquid Helium Films)

Awards
The Associated Students of Caltech (ASCIT) Award for Excellence in Teaching (2004-2005)