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Engineering Outlook

"If I had had some kind of understanding [of human behavior] earlier, I would have probably had a better life."
Robert L. Severns (BS ’49) at the 1994 dedication of the William H. Severns Chair in Human Behavior, the first such faculty position in an engineering college.

Education:
Ph.D., Organizational Behavior, Stanford Graduate School of Business
M.A., Organizational Behavior, Brigham Young University
B.S., Psychology, Brigham Young University

Focus:
Provide opportunities for engineering faculty and students to understand and develop human behavior, leadership, interpersonal, management, and entrepreneurial skills.

Ideal day:
Meetings with colleagues and students to discuss ideas for improving leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities; hearing that these projects are making a difference to students and faculty; and seeing the Illini win.

Raymond Price is an outsider with an insider’s point of view. Although not an engineer, his career has centered on the behaviors of engineers and the social dynamics of engineering companies. His focus on the "human side" of engineering at the College of Engineering ensures students have opportunities to learn about themselves and others in ways that will help them become more successful in their professions and as individuals.

Price held positions with several large companies on the West Coast before becoming a member of the faculty of the Department of General Engineering in 1998. He is the second holder of the William H. Severns Chair in Human Behavior, made possible by an endowment from Robert L. Severns (BS ’49) in memory of his father, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Illinois.

"I propose to engineers that we’re only looking for a small share of the mind, but on a consistent basis," Price said. "If they understand that human behavioral differences exist and develop basic skills for how to deal with those, then they’re going to be much more effective engineers, and they’re going to be better leaders in their organizations and communities."

Interested in the psychology of both individuals and groups, Price has developed a variety of opportunities for students. For example, he offers a Student Engineering Leadership Program, three days of intensive activity designed to improve leadership and communication skills. In addition, Price works with student organizations, such as the Engineering Council, to help students hone the skills they need to motivate participation and make their organizations more successful. He also assists student directors for the Engineering 100 program with strategies for selecting and training engineering learning assistants.

"It’s really a lot of fun to work with students. They’re creative and energetic and have great potential," Price said. "Engineers have the talent and capability to lead most organizations, but sometimes they’re derailed because of poor interpersonal skills. It’s not that they aren’t capable; they just haven’t focused on these issues or developed the skills they need."

Students can gain insights into "what makes people tick" in Price’s engineering emotional intelligence class. They create personal development plans that evolve over the semester to reflect what they learn. In addition, students form teams to plan and carry out service projects at teen crisis centers, halfway houses, and other community support institutions. The projects are designed to develop leadership and team skills as well as a sense of empathy for others: students must understand what someone else needs and expects, and then work as a team to accomplish a common goal.

"We’re trying to do things that will impact students as they think about human behavior and how they’ll function in an organization," Price said. "It’s great to see students gain new skills and abilities and recognize that they can do more. Sometimes they’re surprised at what they learn. If they’ve been on a team or internship with a company, they often say they appreciate the things that we’ve been talking about a lot more."

Also designed to give engineers a head start on the business side of engineering is the Technology Entrepreneur Center, developing under Price’s leadership in collaboration with entrepreneurs and faculty in the colleges of engineering, law, and commerce. In spring 2000, the center began offering courses and resources to help students learn strategies for taking a technology from idea to commercial venture. Offering a network of successful entrepreneurs, business people, advisors, and investors, the center is positioned to support new entrepreneurs once they decide to develop their own products and services.

"The TEC brings together a breadth of university, state, and community resources and expertise," Price said, "and I think it’s going to be a very valuable service to students and ultimately, society. It’s exciting to be part of something that is bigger than what I can do on my own, something that can reach so many people."

A focus on human behavior in an engineering education setting is unusual enough that no other institution offers an endowed chair. But helping engineers understand human behavior is good not just for individuals, but also for society, Price said.

"If we look at airports, telecommunications, power, roads, highways, and other infrastructure, it’s clear that we’re a technology-based society and so there’s a place for engineers and scientists in leadership roles in our communities and businesses," he said, "but we need technology with spirit and passion." —TMP