Congratulations to Dr. Kurt Rouser (PhD Aeronautical Engineering, 2012 and M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 2002) on being named the 2019 Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Advisor!  The award honors engineering faculty and practitioners who make important contributions to students and collegiate chapters.  Dr. Rouser was inducted into TBP as a PhD student at AFIT, then served as Vice President for the Ohio Eta Chapter here.

The 12 August 2019 Tau Beta Pi press release is below.

Knoxville, TN — Tau Beta Pi, The Engineering Honor Society, has named its 25th Outstanding Advisor.  The award honors engineering faculty and practitioners who make important contributions to students and collegiate chapters.

Lt. Col. Kurt P. Rouser, USAF (ret), Ph.D., Ohio Eta ’11, is an assistant professor at Oklahoma State University. He is the 2019 Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Advisor and will be honored on October 11, 2019, at the 114th annual Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Tau Beta Pi President Wayne B. Paugh, LL.M., JD, Florida Gamma’93, will present $1,000 and a commemorative plaque to Dr. Rouser. Another $1,000 grant will be presented to the Oklahoma State University College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology’s discretionary fund.

Established in 1996 by the Association, the Outstanding Advisor Award recognizes outstanding performance among chapter advisors, lauds excellence in engineering education, and in the ethical practice of engineering.

Dr. Rouser’s biography follows:

Kurt P. Rouser, Ph.D., has a track record of success leading and revitalizing Tau Beta Pi chapters.

He is a mechanical and aerospace engineering assistant professor at Oklahoma State University (OSU). Upon joining OSU in 2016, Dr. Rouser accepted the position of OK Gamma Chapter Chief Advisor and got to work. His impact immediately improved membership, provided support for chapter initiatives, and secured alumni involvement and donations for the struggling chapter.

Previously, Dr. Rouser was an assistant professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) before retiring from active duty and starting his tenure-track position at OSU. He served for three years as CO Zeta Chapter Chief Advisor.

Under his leadership, two TBP alumni chapters have been chartered; Pikes Peak in 2013 and Pioneer in 2017. He still serves as president of the Pioneer Chapter in Oklahoma and led the Pikes Peak Chapter in Colorado until his departure.

Dr. Rouser has guided each of these chapters, alumni and collegiate, to fulfill the mission of the Association with a focus on recognizing scholastic and professional achievement, exemplary character, and promoting the engineering profession.

At OSU, the chapter reported evidence of his work in the form of an honorable mention for the 2018 TBP Most Improved Membership Award. The OK Gamma Chapter has also hosted a District Conference, secured and worked on a project to have a Bent monument installed on campus, and hosted two alumni panels.

At USAFA, Dr. Rouser increased membership acceptance rate to nearly 100 percent and initiated more than 200 students, alumni, and eminent engineers, including a former NASA astronaut. With his encouragement and assistance, the CO Zeta Chapter submitted several nominations for TBP awards leading to one Laureate, two Distinguished Alumni, and two McDonald Mentor awards.

He has orchestrated other activities, including TBPi Day events, socials, and volunteer work at both the OK Gamma and OK Beta Chapters. Dr. Rouser routinely attends TBP Conventions and presented a Professional Development Session in 2018 sharing his motivation and experience as a chapter advisor.

Dr. Rouser is also a natural teacher and mentor having received a USAFA Faculty of the Year award in 2014 and currently advising more than 20 undergraduate and six graduate research assistants.

For his “sustained service,” commitment to promoting excellence, and support of the Association and its ideals, Dr. Rouser is the 2019 Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Advisor.