Thomas Volkman
- Chair of Computer Science
- Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
About Me
I grew up and graduated from high school in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. After college, I moved and lived in San Diego, California for 31 years where I met and married my bride in 1992. We have been blessed with five children. We moved to Bismarck in 2018 and I feel very privileged to live here and be part of the University of Mary community. I try to make myself completely available to my students: by phone, by email, and via discord. I love this college because of its mission to instill authentic Catholic values in their students.
Why I’m At MaryMy youngest daughter enrolled at the University of Mary in 2015. Being 1700 miles away, we were comforted knowing the education and Catholic teaching she was receiving. When I learned that the university was starting an engineering program, I inquired about teaching opportunities. This eventually led us in moving to Bismarck. Our two sons are now University of Mary students.
Expertise
I have held an electrical engineering degree since 1986. I have worked in the private industry for my whole career, but I have taught at various colleges and universities for 10 years. Most of my career has been in the embedded telecommunications field, with 25 years in satellite communications. My expertise is centered on embedded systems, communication protocols, and real-time operating systems.
Education
MS (Electrical Engineering): University of California, San Diego, 1999
BS (Electronics Engineering Technology): DeVry Institute of Technology, 1986
Executive Perspective for Scientists and Engineers: University of California, San Diego, 2007