Project Lead Principal Investigator

Chattanooga State Community College

Chattanooga, TN

Dr. Lyn Potter, PI and Engineering Systems Department Head, has been with Chattanooga State Community College since 2005. Her passion is incumbent worker programs and high school initiatives. She coordinates the four apprenticeship for a local manufacturer focused on Industry 4.0 concepts. Dr. Potter also manages the Mechatronics Akademie at VW and Polytech Academy at Chattanooga State which are high school dual enrollment programs focused on Mechatronics, filling skilled maintenance pipeline. Dr. Potter lives in Chattanooga with her husband, children, two cats, and a dog. 

Principal Investigator

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/khalidtantawi/home 

Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Tantawi   

Dr. Tantawi is an Assistant Professor of mechatronics at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He previously was a faculty at Motlow State Community College, and a trainer for Siemens Technik Akademy. He is an evaluator for ABET, and chaired the Tennessee Academy of Science- Engineering Section twice (2017 and 2022). He obtained his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 2012, a double masters in Aerospace Engineering from University of Toulouse and University of Pisa in 2007. His B.Sc was in Mechatronics Engineering from University of Jordan. He serves as the Principal Investigator and project manager on the NSF-funded $545,000 project SMARTT. He is the recipient of the European Commission's Erasmus Mundus grant of 42,000 Euros (2005), and the $75,000 Alabama- EPSCoR grant (2009). In 2017 he received Motlow’s Faculty Excellence Award. 

Co-Principal Investigator

Chattanooga State Community College

Jerry Roberts is an Assistant Professor with Chattanooga State Community College in Chattanooga, Tennessee where he oversees the Engineering Systems Management Program. His main areas of instruction are robotics, electronics, electrical systems, and mechanical systems. Prior to his time with Chattanooga State, Jerry had over 30 years of experience in engineering and maintenance in various industries. Much of his experience focused on electrical systems and robotics. Jerry holds a Bachelor’s in Electromechanical Engineering Technology from Murray State University and is also a military retiree. 

Co-Principal Investigator

Lawson State Community College

Bessemer, AL

Rich Raymond, Co-PI and Manufacturing and Engineering Department Head, has been with Lawson State Community College since 1982. Mr. Raymond is NOCTI certified in the field of electronics. He holds an Siemens SMSCP Level 1 and 2 Instructor Certification, CompTIA A+ certification, Manufacturing Skills Standards Council Certified Production Technician Certification, and NC3 Instructor certifications in Fundamentals of Robotics, Industry 4.0, PLC (Allen Bradley & Siemens), Electricity (DC & AC), Sensor Technology, and Digital Multi-meter. He is the author of the textbook titled “Personal Computers for Technology Students.”

Project Evaluator

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN