Dean Philip Parker visits Wisconsin legislators in Washington, D.C.

A delegation including UW-Platteville College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Dean Philip Parker met with Wisconsin's Congressional delegation in February to advocate for federal support of engineering education, research, and workforce development that directly benefit UW-Platteville students and programs.

Parker joined Dean Brett Peters (UW-Milwaukee) and Dean Devesh Ranjan (UW-Madison) in Washington, D.C., for the annual American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Public Policy Colloquium, an event that brings engineering leaders together with policymakers to discuss national priorities impacting higher education.

During the visit, the group met with:

• Sen. Tammy Baldwin
• Sen. Ron Johnson
• Rep. Gwen Moore
• Rep. Tony Wied

They also attended a Wisconsin delegation breakfast with Rep. Mark Pocan and met with staff from the offices of Reps. Glenn Grothman, Bryan Steil, Pocan, and Wied.

Throughout the meetings, Parker emphasized UW-Platteville's critical role in preparing the next generation of engineers, particularly in addressing Wisconsin's growing workforce needs in advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, and emerging technologies. He highlighted UW-Platteville's strong connections with industry partners, its nationally recognized hands-on learning environment, and the university's leadership in cooperative education and internship opportunities.

Key topics included advanced manufacturing, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, the statewide engineering workforce shortage, partnerships with Wisconsin technical colleges, and the importance of federal investment in applied research that directly supports undergraduate education.

Lawmakers expressed strong interest in UW-Platteville's graduate outcomes, including job placement, starting salaries, industry partnerships, and the university's impact on regional and statewide economic development.