CAMPUS CURRENT
FACULTY NEWS
Success in the Making
Kash Gokli brings manufacturing expertise to the department of engineering Written by Stephanie L. Graham
HIKING THROUGH THE SNOWY, scenic high Himalayas was a frequent pastime for Kash Gokli, who lived in India for much of his youth. This penchant for exploring the unexplored helps explain why the invitation to fill a new faculty position at Harvey Mudd College held such appeal. The opportunity arose during his time in Cincinnati, Ohio, at Amano USA Holdings Inc., where he was vice president of manufacturing and senior vice president of total quality management and best practices. He had heard of Harvey Mudd, knew of its reputation, and the time was right for a change, for something “exciting.” Gokli liked that the College sought to leverage existing strengths in design education and introduce manufacturing and modern management practices into its top-tier engineering program. “My goal is to enhance students’ ability to design by providing them a practical knowledge of manufacturing techniques and processes,” says Gokli, who became professor of manufacturing practice in fall 2012. A graduate of Gujarat University, India (B.S., mechanical engineering) and the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (M.S., industrial engineering), he has more than 30 years’ experience in manufacturing, engineering, product development, quality management and process improvement. After arriving in Claremont, Gokli began working with Department of Engineering colleagues to develop Manufacturing Planning and Execution (MPE)—the College’s first such course—to help close the gap that many felt existed (and that a department assessment revealed) between the first-year E4 Introductory Engineering course and Clinic, taken by juniors and seniors. “In E4, students learn the design process, as well as prototyping; the next steps are mass production, quality and distribution,” says
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Gokli, who also teaches E4 and is advisor to two Clinics. Gokli’s MPE class covers how products are designed and built in a high-volume industrial environment with six sigma-level quality and includes visits to manufacturers, interactive lectures and group exercises. Gokli works closely with other engineering department faculty, including Fletcher Jones Professor of Engineering Gordon Krauss, who arrived in 2013. The two are developing a design, manufacturing and management (DMM) course sequence, which will help students develop complex and functional products required by many Clinic sponsors. Also in development is a management course that will be taught by Gokli, Krauss and Pat Little, the J. Stanley and Mary Wig Johnson Professor of Engineering Management. “We want to provide an understanding of how companies, people and finances are managed in a technical enterprise,” says Gokli. “This DMM sequence will give our graduates an advantage, and we believe this is a faster route to engineering leadership positions.” The new, multi-course sequence—E4; Manufacturing Planning and Execution; New Product Development; and Management of Technical Enterprise—provides a complete skillset and exposure to a wide array of knowledge in the department’s tradition of training “informed generalists.” Engineering majors Brian Cheney ’14 and Cierra Owens ’14 say they appreciate Gokli’s engaging, participatory style and the hands-on aspects of MPE. “In every class, students learn a lesson that is applicable in real life,” says Cheney, who interned at a company that manufactures radio frequency chips for cellphones and was able to relate class lessons to his experiences. Gokli’s emphasis on continuous improvement
resounded with both students. “After graduating, I will be working at SpaceX as an avionics build engineer, where I will need to solve manufacturing problems,” says Owens. “Professor Gokli has taught us that finding the root cause and determining a solution to a problem is a huge benefit to a company and will make future manufacturing processes more efficient.” Gokli invites executives to his classes to share “what they see from where they sit.” His first guest was engineering graduate Nabeel Gareeb ’86/87, P17, former head of MEMC Electronic Materials and International Rectifier, two technology companies that Gareeb helped lead to significant profitability. Gareeb worked with Zee Durón ’81 to help fund Gokli’s position as the first step in bringing increased awareness regarding the integrated nature of design and manufacturing to Harvey Mudd. “I think the implementation of the DMM sequence will be a pivotal moment in HMC’s history, and I am glad I was able to help initiate this evolution,” says Gareeb, an advisor to the department. “These courses will help students understand how to design and produce ‘hard’ products such as semiconductors and automobiles, as well as more nuanced products, such as software and services, in a more streamlined fashion. The sequence will allow the growth of the next generation of engineering and manufacturing leaders and will significantly increase the contribution of the students and, thereby, the effectiveness of the Clinic Program.” The new strategy affects Global Clinic in particular. Gokli’s connections in Mumbai, Bangalore and at the university in Ahmedabad, the city where he grew up, expand the potential for new partners and the exposure for Harvey Mudd and its students.