UT Arlington College of Engineering
UT Arlington

Advisory Board Member Keith Weiss
Problem-solver, Booster Extraordinaire

Keith Weiss received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering at UT Arlington in 1973. He currently is a Six Sigma Expert at Raytheon’s Space and Airborne Systems Advanced Products Center in Dallas. This unit is responsible for the design, development, production and support of microwave products and airborne radar systems.

Keith continues to have a close relationship with UT Arlington and the College of Engineering. He serves on the advisory boards of the College and the Industrial & Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department, works closely with the Alumni Association to develop activities to increase membership, and regularly speaks at commencement ceremonies about the benefits of association membership. Keith is also active in the Dallas Model A Ford Club.

We asked Keith about being an alumnus and remembrances of his time at the College of Engineering.

What does it mean to be a Maverick? How does it apply to your work?
“To be a Maverick, you are thinking independently. You have strong convictions, you like to work the edges, and aren’t afraid to speak your mind on a subject that you have passion about. You can’t afford to always go with the flow, you have to consider before response, and you have to consistently influence change in organizations that typically do not want to change as quickly as you want them to. As a certified Six Sigma Expert at Raytheon, these are valued attributes that I must possess.

What do you know about UT Arlington that others may not?
“While I was going to school, I was working for a major beer distributor. Occasionally I would have to park my delivery truck on campus to take a class and then finish my sales route.”

What is your most pleasing memory about your time here?
“I believe it was the completed journey. I really experienced a tremendous amount of satisfaction and personal achievement when receiving my degree. You know, it was a long journey (148 semester hours for BSIE), but so fulfilling that it seemed to go extremely fast in four years. I am constantly asked about my Graduation Ring that I proudly wear because it reminds me of that journey. ‘What a beautiful ring, where did you go to school?’  I’m proud to say ‘UT Arlington.’”

What has changed in the College since your time on campus?
“Well, let me see...... Davis Hall, Texas Hall and the athletic building and football field were just across a four-lane street called South Cooper, which you could walk across. You could also park on a gravel parking lot.  And if you got to campus early enough, you could park on campus actually next to a building!!!  Most of the side streets were drive through as well.”
 
What lessons of life have you learned before or since then?
“Focus and perseverance. You make the most of both whether you want to or not!”

What is the most interesting/pleasing thing about being an engineer?
“I am assigned to some of the most challenging problems in our company.  I have to be a ‘maverick’ to confidently and independently lead change. I have to use facts and data well above opinion to fix a problem once and for all. The skills that I learned in the classroom in Industrial Engineering were an ideal match to what is needed today and in the future. I know students sometimes think that the course does not give you value and you will never need to use it again; I say ‘bull.’ I have continually referred to the textbooks I used to understand the foundation of the problem or issue, then collect some data, use some statistics and analysis tools, then orchestrate an approach. These are excellent learning concepts that are never outdated.”

What do you hope your legacy will be, both personally and professionally?
Professionally, I plan to be certified as a Master Expert later this year in our company.  This will be the highlight of my technical competency in my 35+ year engineering profession.  Personally, I continue to mentor many young engineers, I have been an advisor and counselor to eight successful Ph.D. students over my career, and I have  personally received recognition from those students as being the center of their success in their post graduate work. I created in 2006 the Weiss Family Endowed Scholarship to recognize outstanding undergraduate students in engineering to further their success. That IS what it’s all about, giving back to students that you can help, because you received help from past students that helped you!  What a reward!!! So the challenge to you who read this is, ‘Just make a difference in someone else, eh?’”