Contest Judges

Kathryn Clouse


  • Education:
    • BSEM UW-Madison 2010
    • MBA UW-Oshkosh Currently In Progress
  • Employed by Pierce Manufacturing since 2010
    • Design Engineer for Aerial New Product Development
    • Performs structural analysis on aerial device components for new product development and current product improvement
  • 2009 EMA Design Contest First Place Winner - the Litter Fitter
    • The Litter Fitter, a trash compactor that uses human power rather than electricity to compact garbage with a 3:2 mechanical advantage, can be manufactured at a cost significantly lower than existing trash compactors.
  • Active Member of:
    • Oshkosh Corporation's Leadership Academy
    • Oshkosh Corporation's UW-Madison College Relations Team
    • Pierce Manufacturing's Diversity Committee

Dustin Kaap


  • Education:
    • BSME UW-Madison 1995
    • MSME UW-Madison 1997
    • MBA Rockford College 2010
  • Registered professional engineer in Wisconsin
  • Employed by UTC Aerospace Systems (formerly Hamilton Sundstrand) in Rockford, Illinois since 1997
    • Currently Project Engineer for Airbus A350 Ram Air Turbine Emergency Power System
    • Vice President of Hamilton Sundstrand Rockford Leadership Club 2007-2009
  • Chairman of Rockford Airfest Set-up Committee 2008 & 2009
  • Wrote business plan and consulted for Flexi Snake
  • Awarded 40 Leaders Under 40 by Rockford Chamber of Commerce in 2008
  • Past UW-Madison activities:
    • Teaching Assistant for ME340 Dynamic Systems
    • President of Pi Tau Sigma
    • Engineering Expo 1995 - 1st Place
    • Hoofers Sailing Club
  • Interests:
    • Golf, basketball, and football
    • Supporting Badger Athletics
    • Business merger history

Ed Gisske

  • Education
    • BSEE UW-Madison 1970
    • BSME UW-Madison 1973
    • Thirteen postgraduate credits in Thermoscience and Fluid Dynamics at UW-Madison
  • Registered professional engineer in Wisconsin since 1979
  • 15 US and foreign patents issued, 8 applications pending. More than 50 US Patent citations
  • Owner Gisske Engineering, Mt. Horeb, WI
    • Sole-practice that designs and develops electrical and mechanical products for forensic analysis and testing
    • Participated in bringing more than 150 products to market since 1978
  • Served as a Lecturer/Specialist in the UW-Madison Mechanical Engineering department teaching Manufacturing Processes, Welding Engineering, Instrumentation and various short courses
  • Taught ME349 (Mechanical Engineering Senior Design) as an adjunct lecturer in 1997
  • Interests
    • Amateur radio: First licensed in 1961, Amateur Extra class license
    • Aviation: Commercial, Instrument, and Multi-engine ratings
    • Precision metalworking and machine tool renovation
    • Home brewing beer
    University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Engineering Physics
    Madison, Wisconsin
    Revised: 12/13/2012