Hauke said he was a big proponent of experience-based learning like the kind UC delivers in its nationally renowned cooperative education program. It’s a system Hauke came to value in his former life as a building tradesman, where he learned under the mentorship of an experienced foreman.
“I saw the same principle at the University of Cincinnati, where the co-op program is the cornerstone of the engineering program,“ Hauke said.
UC pioneered co-op in 1906. This structured program provides paid, full-time professional work in the student’s chosen field of study.
Today, UC is ranked third in the nation for co-ops and internships and No. 1 among public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Hauke had multiple co-ops at GE Aviation while earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering.
“Every other semester, I rotated through different roles, applying classroom theory in the real world. Those experiences taught me technical skills, business fundamentals and the teamwork and leadership skills that could not be learned from a textbook.
“By the time I graduated, I had an engineering degree. But more importantly, I was prepared for industry.“
He remained at UC, earning a doctorate in electrical and electronics engineering.
Hauke went on to work for several medical device companies specializing in surgical robotics and sweat sensors. Today, he is global director of product strategy & innovation at Gentherm Medical, which makes a variety of products for hospitals and clinics.
He said he works to give clinicians the best possible tools to deliver the best outcomes for patients.
“That’s a responsibility I take very seriously,“ he told Medium.
Featured image at top: UC graduate Adam Hauke holds up a sweat sensor in Professor Jason Heikenfeld’s lab in a 2019 photo. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC