The Innovation Shop offers academic and manufacturing support to all CoE students and faculty. Comprised of four individuals spanning backgrounds in engineering, healthcare, accounting, architecture, military-specification machining, electronics and more, students can gain skills in varied fields on their way to a complete engineering education. Anthony Beatty, Peter Glaude, Joseph Luciani, and Kenneth Premo prefer a holistic approach to innovative engineering. Together, they educate students on their journey from ideation to creation. 

Anthony has extensive experience designing precision medical devices, ranging from imaging, to implants, to instrumentation, and bringing them to market under FDA and ISO regulations. Working in smaller companies, with an emphasis on start-ups, taught Anthony how to work with tight budgets while wearing many hats. These experiences have helped Anthony develop the ability to see a product from its initial conception, development, release, and lifecycle.

• Former Principal Mechanical Engineer at Stryker
• Former Medical Device Engineer at Flexion Therapeutics
• Former Senior Product Development Engineer at Discover Echo, Inc.
• Former Senior Product Development Engineer at Spinal Elements, Inc.
• Tufts University and Wentworth Institute of Technology graduate

“I want our students to be confident that they can bring any idea to life and turn it into a successful product or project,” Anthony said. “We can guide students through the pathway to whatever their end goal is. And throughout the whole process, we also teach students how to pivot.”

Peter is a skilled engineer and machinist trained in manufacturing commercial and military-specification tools and parts. Having experience at multiple UConn campuses, Peter offers a holistic approach to manufacturing and engineering. Peter has experience in CNC programming and set-up, fixture design, planning and scheduling, machining, and more. The longest tenured member of the Innovation Shop team, Peter enjoys working in an environment where every day is different and offers a new opportunity to educate budding engineers.

• Former Manufacturing Engineer at Windham Machine
• Central Connecticut State University graduate

“Students come in not exactly knowing what they need, so we offer design assistance and manufacturability of parts, then materials, purchasing, tooling, until they reach the finish line of actually making the part,” Peter said. “Above all else, we want to show them what’s possible in engineering. But to do so, they need to understand what manufacturing is, because it affects the end result of the design.”

The newest member of the Innovation Shop team, with expertise spanning rapid prototyping, machining, and product design, Joe has recently transitioned from his previous role to his current focus on fostering student engagement and enhancing the Innovation Shop prototyping and fabrication experience. With a focus on enhancing design and fabrication workflows and impacting student researchers, Joe leverages his technical prowess and visionary approach to shape the future of engineering design education and industry collaboration within the College.

• Former Director of UConn’s Proof of Concept Center
• Former Senior Design and Prototyping Specialist at the McCormick Prototyping Laboratory at Northwestern University's Segal Design Institute
• Former Manager of the IdeaShop at the Illinois Institute of Technology
• Northwestern University and Illinois Institute of Technology graduate

“My mission is to design meaningful experiences and purposeful built environments that inspire, empower, and transform,” Joe said. “Coming from an architect’s background before diving into prototyping, I want to help student put the pieces together and feel inspired to have real impact on the world.”

Ken is an experienced engineer and has worked in manufacturing in private and public backgrounds. Working within the large field of electronics, Ken counsels students as they drill down further into their specific needs. Ken considers himself a resource for engineering pupils, and offers an open-door policy for any inquisitive student. Crediting the United States Navy for his electronics foundation, Ken is skilled in multiple programming languages, controls, data acquisition systems, and more. Ken also utilizes his accounting degrees when strategizing budget and business development plans.

• Former Equipment Maintenance Technician at OFS
• Former Electrician at Ahlstrom
• Former Lead Operator / Electronic Controls Technician at Techni-Met
• Former Reactor Operator in the United States Navy
• Southern New Hampshire University, Asnuntuck Community College, and Excelsior University graduate

“All the students that come in here are all pretty vested in whatever project they’re doing,” Ken said. “The most enjoyable part is watching them when it clicks. It’s the lightbulb moment. It seems complicated – but it really isn’t.”