Dr. Jennifer Bastiaan ’97, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, a dedicated leader in engineering education, and a longtime advocate for industry collaboration, has received the 2025 SAE Forest McFarland Award for her outstanding contributions to SAE International’s engineering events. She was given the honor during the 2025 SAE World Congress Experience (WCX), held April 8 through 10 in Detroit — the premier global event for automotive engineering professionals.
Established in 1979, the Forest McFarland Award honors individuals who have made significant and lasting impacts in the planning, developing, and disseminating of technical knowledge through SAE conferences and professional development programs. Dr. Bastiaan’s decades-long leadership in organizing SAE technical sessions and fostering industry-academic engagement has made her an invaluable force within the organization.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by SAE, an organization that has shaped my own career and continues to drive progress in the industry,” Bastiaan said. “SAE has been instrumental in connecting engineers, researchers, and students in meaningful ways, and I’m proud to contribute to that mission.”
As chair of SAE’s Materials Modeling and Testing Committee, Dr. Bastiaan has played a critical role in orchestrating key sessions at WCX, ensuring the highest level of technical content and industry relevance. She leads three major sessions at WCX, including those on vehicle dynamics and tire mechanics, as well as a student-focused session, Motorsports 101, which she pioneered to give university teams a platform to present their work and engage with industry leaders.
A Kettering University alumna and industry veteran, Dr. Bastiaan spent two decades at Roush Industries before returning to Kettering as a faculty member in 2015. Her deep ties to industry and dedication to hands-on education reflect Kettering’s commitment to producing graduates who don’t just enter the workforce — they lead it.
At Kettering University, Dr. Bastiaan is the Faculty Advisor to two Formula SAE teams, the Internal Combustion team and the Electric team. She is also a Faculty Co-advisor to four other SAE student teams, including AutoDrive Challenge II, Baja SAE, SAE Aero Design, and SAE Clean Snowmobile Challenge.
“The WCX event is where the future of automotive engineering takes shape,” she said. “I hope my experience encourages more Kettering students, faculty, alumni, and stakeholders to get involved because SAE is a powerful platform for innovation and collaboration.”
With attendance reaching over 10,000 professionals annually, WCX is recognized as the cornerstone event for the automotive engineering community, attracting experts from across academia and industry to exchange cutting-edge research and best practices.
Dr. Bastiaan’s leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to student engagement exemplify Kettering’s legacy of producing bold, forward-thinking problem-solvers. Her recognition with the Forest McFarland Award solidifies her place among the industry’s most influential voices.
