Brodbeck named Director of Research Engineering Operations

To reflect his growing and evolving role in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Christian Brodbeck, who has served the college as research engineer since 2006, was recently named director of research engineering operations.

“In essence, I have been working in engineering research operations for the past couple years,” Brodbeck said. “Now that this is an official role, my plan is to work closely with departments within the college to ensure that our facilities are set up to best suit their research needs.”

Interim Dean of Engineering Steve Taylor describes Brodbeck as an engineering Jack of all trades. 

“Christian has really gone above and beyond to ensure that the college’s research efforts and initiatives are outfitted with the tools and resources necessary for keeping Auburn as one of the premiere engineering programs in America,” Taylor said. “As a research engineer, he has very broad and deep expertise in many different technical areas. His outstanding work ethic is immediately obvious to everyone he encounters but that’s just Christian. He’s gone the extra mile for years. It’s high time his title matches that degree of dedication.” 

In addition to his official duties, Brodbeck serves as faculty advisor for the Auburn student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a group who works internationally to assist communities in need. Brodbeck has led students on several international trips, including a recent trip to rural Guatemala to extract water from a spring for distribution to the local village.

“I look forward to continuing to mentor our Engineers Without Borders student chapter, and helping to provide an engineering experience for them that will prepare them to be the engineers of tomorrow,” he said.

An Auburn graduate himself, Brodbeck earned a bachelor’s degree in biosystems engineering and a master’s degree in civil engineering.

“I’m very familiar with the everyday challenges our college is faced with,” Brodbeck said. “Over the past few years I have developed good working relationships with our faculty and staff, as well as our University Facilities group, and I feel that I’m in a great place to be able to find sound engineering solutions for those challenges.

“In this new role, I plan to do what I have always done at Auburn, which is to simply find a way to get things done.”