John M. Grandin is Professor of German and Director of the International Engineering Program at the University of Rhode Island, an interdisciplinary curriculum, through which students complete simultaneous degrees (BA and BS) in German, French, Spanish, or Chinese, and in an engineering discipline. Grandin has received numerous awards for his work combining languages and engineering, including the Federal Cross of Honor from the Federal Republic of Germany, the Award for Educational Innovation from ABET, and the Michael P. Malone Award for Excellence in International Education from NASULGC, the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. He has published widely on such cross-disciplinary initiatives and has been the principle investigator for several funded projects related to the development of the International Engineering Program. Grandin also organizes and hosts the Annual Colloquium on International Engineering Education, bringing together university faculty and business representatives to develop a more global engineering education nationally. Grandin has served as associate dean and acting dean of URI’s College of Arts and Sciences, and as chair of the Department of Languages. He also has published several articles and a book on Franz Kafka.