Q&A with Regis University Assistant Professor Bob Deemer

Colorado Springs Business Journal, Jan 26, 2007

When NASA needed help determining its current and future space communications capabilities in order to reach its goals of sending people to the moon and to Mars, it turned to Regis University Assistant Professor Bob Deemer.

"It was a pretty fascinating study," he said. "We spent about 14 months studying the ways NASA could communicate in deep space."

Deemer recently took time to tell CSBJ about himself and his organization.

Organization: Regis University

Position: Assistant professor

Hometown: Onley, Ill.

How long have you lived in Colorado Springs: 18 years

Education: Master's degrees in business administration, computer science, philosophy, history, management science, and project management. Bachelor's degrees in electrical engineering, English literature, management, software engineering, philosophy, geography and environmental studies.

A few words about your organization: I work for Regis University, a private Jesuit university based in Denver. I teach in the MBA program at the Colorado Springs campus, as well as the Denver Tech Center campus.

Recent accomplishments: I was the chairman of a 14-month study for the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Academy of Sciences and NASA associated with the Space Communications Operations Mission Directorate. This was a national study to examine NASA's current and future space communications capabilities and requirements related to future space flight missions - including humans back to the moon and on to Mars. The study, "Review of the Space Communications Program of NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate," is expected to be released before the end of February through the National Research Council of the National Academies.

Biggest career break: Being promoted to director of space operations and design for Litton Industries in 1987.

The toughest part of your job: There really hasn't been a "toughest part." Very frankly speaking, when you enjoy your career as much as I enjoy teaching and working with adult learners there isn't a toughest part.

Someone you admire: Not necessarily a particular person, but people who are willing to take risks, look at difficult situations from a different perspective and those people who aren't afraid to jump off a cliff and make their wings on the way down.

About your family: I have great family, all in the Colorado Springs area, with solid professional careers in the making.

Something else you'd like to accomplish: Completion of a doctorate degree, and several other areas of study with a goal of 20 college degrees (14 down, six to go).

How your business will change during the next decade: Learning will continue to go through considerable changes for decades to come - from how we learn to what we learn. Technology continues to restructure and redefine all of our lives in new and exciting ways - the same is true regarding education and technology's impact on the educational process.

Online learning will continue to redefine the field of education for years to come, while putting new requirements on traditional schools as well.

What book are you currently reading? "The Singularity is Near" by Ray Kurzweil, "Our Molecular Future" by Douglas Mulhall, "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell, "The Art of Profiling" by Dan Korem, "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman, and "Freakonomics" by Steven Devitt and Stephen Dubner.

What is the one thing you would change about Colorado Springs? For the most part, there is really very little I'd like to change. It is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, attend school and develop a personal career.