Dr. Eric T. Baumgartner is named the sixth president of Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), marking a new chapter in the university’s leadership following years of shaping its academic vision. A formal presidential inauguration was held April 24, 2026.

Eric T. Baumgartner, PhD, has been named the sixth president of Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) after years of shaping the university’s academic vision. A formal presidential inauguration was held April 24, 2026.

In conjunction with the inauguration, MSOE hosted AI Week, April 20–25, 2026, a weeklong conference exploring artificial intelligence across education, industry, and society.

MSOE’s leadership in applied artificial intelligence education expanded under Baumgartner’s tenure as executive vice president of academics, a role he has held since 2017. During that time, he provided strategic leadership for academic programs and support units across campus.

Academic offerings created under his leadership include a master’s degree in machine learning; graduate certificates in applied machine learning, machine learning engineering, and advanced business strategy using AI and analytics; a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program; and a bachelor’s degree in technical and business management. He also advanced MSOE’s health professions offerings through partnerships with the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Before joining MSOE, Baumgartner served as dean of the T. J. Smull College of Engineering and professor of mechanical engineering at Ohio Northern University. Earlier in his career, he was a senior staff member at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he played a key role on the Mars Exploration Rover mission responsible for the Spirit and Opportunity rovers.

Baumgartner holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati, and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He also completed the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard Graduate School of Education.