Carmen Cioc, Ph.D.

about me

Dr. Carmen Cioc is an accomplished Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET), passionate about teaching and innovation in pedagogical strategies. She has an extensive career in academia and research, demonstrating strong expertise in applied fluid mechanics, mechanical design, and thermodynamics. Known for her hands-on teaching style, she uses everyday objects to help students visualize complex engineering concepts, fostering an inclusive learning environment. Since 2013, Dr. Cioc has made significant contributions to the enhancement of her department's curriculum and laboratories and has effectively mentored young faculty and students in MET.

Her love for math and physics began in her childhood and later evolved into a fascination with applied sciences and engineering. She holds a M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering, a field she pursued against conventional advice, firmly believing in breaking gender and social barriers in STEM fields. This experience shaped her ongoing commitment to inspire and empower women in engineering, currently demonstrated in her roles as faculty advisor for the SWE’s student chapter and board member for UToledo’s Eberly Center for Women.

Her journey, from being one of the youngest researchers at the Romanian Research Institute in Transportation to studying for her Ph.D. in the United States, reflects her resilience and determination. Her doctoral dissertation centered on physics-based elastohydrodynamic lubrication models for high-speed helicopter transmissions is a testament to her technical expertise in mechanical engineering. Continuing education as an adult learner and a mother made her a passionate advocate for adult education, encouraging students from all walks of life to continue learning and evolving professionally.

Dr. Cioc is a lifelong learner, pursuing a second M.S. degree in Physics, specializing in photovoltaics, even after completing her doctoral degree. This passion for renewable energy led to a prestigious Sunshot Fellowship and a role at the Department of Energy's Solar Program. There, she monitored Solar - SBIR/STTR portfolios, supported Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Managers, provided technical advice and served as a technical content reviewer.

In her time at The University of Toledo, she has undertaken various leadership roles. Between 2014 and 2019, she directed the MET program. She has notably achieved the development and evaluation of MET curriculum, managed all educational activities related to the program, provided academic counseling to over 400 students, maintained all accreditation documentation, developed from scratch the 2017 Self Study Report, and set new directions for the program.

Since 2021, she has assumed a new leading role as the Graduate Program Director for the online M.S. in General Engineering and Energy Engineering programs. She directs all educational activities related to both programs, provides academic counseling to all students, and leads the
efforts to provide accessible content for all learners. She closely works with the full-time and part-time teaching faculty to improve the quality of all graduate courses in the programs, including through QM certification.

Her career also includes leadership positions such as the College of Engineering Graduate Assessment Coordinator, Engineering Technology Assessment Director, advisory board member of UToledo’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Director in the ASEE North Central Section Board, ASEE -Engineering Technology Division (ETD) - MET Heads Committee member, Engineering Unleashed Ambassador, and a 2021 Engineering Unleashed Fellow. She has numerous awards and recognitions to her credit, including multiple best paper awards, with her work funded through various grants.

In her pursuit of enhancing STEM education and empowering women in engineering, Dr. Cioc believes in leading by example. She is always searching for better ways to inspire her students, colleagues, and the engineering community at large.

Awards:

2022 - North Central Section 2022 Outstanding Campus Representative Award - ASEE North Central Section, March 19, 2022
2021 - Best Paper - Second Place - Awarded to C.Cioc, N.Haughton, J.Napp, S.Cioc for paper entitled " Incorporating Information Literacy in MET Design Project: Year 2 Implementation", 2021 ASEE North Central Section Conference, The University of Toledo, Ohio
2019 – 2019 Outstanding Campus Representative Award – ASEE North Central Section, March 23, 2019 at Grand Valley State University
2019 – ASEE Campus Representative Award – For Outstanding Achievement in Recruiting the Highest Percentage of Faculty in the North Central Section During the 2018-2019 ASEE Membership Promotional Campaign – ASEE 2019 Annual Conference & Exposition
2019 – ASEE Campus Representative Award – For Outstanding Achievement in Recruiting the Most New Faculty in the North Central Section During the 2018-2019 ASEE Membership Promotional Campaign – ASEE 2019 Annual Conference & Exposition
2018 - Best Paper -First Place - Awarded to C.Cioc, S.Cioc, R.Springman “Using Peer Review in Engineering Technology Courses”, 2018 ASEE North Central Section Conference, The University of Akron, Ohio
2017 -Best Paper - Third Place - Awarded to C.Cioc, S.Cioc, R.Springman “Using the Capstone Design Project to Retrofit or Design Laboratory Demonstration Units” - 2017 ASEE North Central Section, ASEE Zone 2 Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2012-2013 - SunShot fellowship with the Department of Energy, EERE
2004 - Best Paper - Wilbur Deutsch Memorial Award - Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) - Awarded for the best paper published in 2004 on the practical aspects of lubrication; The paper was cited 38 times as of May 2018.