The Need for Systems Engineering

William Van Atten is a Lecturer at the University of Colorado Boulder, specializing in systems engineering and program management. He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1987 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and subsequently served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps for 22 years. During his military career, he gained extensive experience as an aviator, flying operational tours in aircraft such as the A-6E Intruder and the F/A-18D Hornet. His final assignment was with NATO in Belgium, where he oversaw training and assistance activities in Iraq and Africa.After retiring from the Marine Corps, Van Atten transitioned to a role with the Secretary of Defense, focusing on Middle East policy issues and supporting senior Defense officials in high-level meetings. He later worked as a Project Manager for Wyle, supporting the F-35 Joint Program Office, where he contributed to requirements analysis for military and international partners. Currently, as a Program Manager at Ball Aerospace, he oversees several development programs for Department of Defense products. In his courses, including "Applying Systems Engineering to the Design Process" and "Systems Engineering and Program Management," Van Atten leverages his extensive experience to prepare students for careers in engineering management and systems design.