Dr. Thomas Soyster--- College of Technology


Dr. Thomas Soyster AssociateProfessor Quality platform coordinator and faculty member School of Engineering Technology (734) 487-2040 118 Sill Hall College of Technology Ypsilanti, MI 48197 tom.soyster@emich.edu

Courses Taught : QUAL 320, Industrial Quality Control - An introductory course in basic quality control methodologies including control charting, process capability analysis, gage capability, and the seven tools of quality. QUAL 550, Advanced Statistical Process Control - An advanced course in statistical process control including special purpose control charts & procedures; analysis of runs, trends, & cycles; process & gage capability; and underlying distribution analysis. Prerequisite: QUAL 591, Statistical Process Control. QUAL 551, Design of Experiments - A study of the design and analysis of experiments to improve product or process quality. Topics include fundamental concepts applying to the design, conduct, and analysis of factorial experiments as well as reporting results and formulating recommendations for improvement. QUAL 552, Quality Planning - Procedures utilized to organize and implement the quality function including planning, budgeting information and test procedures, customer complaints and Quality Function Development. QUAL 553, Geometric and Surface Texture Tolerancing - A study of tolerancing systems to include geometric dimensioning, tolerancing, and surface texture specifications. The primary objective of this course is to demonstrate the application of these systems to discrete parts. QUAL 557, Measuring Customer Satisfaction - This course includes information on how to develop a system to monitor the voice of the customer on a continual basis, as well as how to use customer data to increase market share. Included in the course are various tools for gathering customer data such as focus groups, surveys, and complaint tracking. QUAL 647, Research Methods - This course prepares students for conducting development projects and theses, and for objectively investigating problems in industry. It is a study of basic and applied research processes employing qualitative, descriptive, and experimental methods. Students will critique research articles and progress toward developing a research proposal.

Short Bio: Dr. Thomas Soyster is a professor of Quality Management at Eastern Michigan University and Coordinator of the Master of Science in Quality degree program. His involvement in the manufacturing and education sectors, including employment, teaching, research, and consulting, spans a forty-year period. He received his Ed.D. in 1980 from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa. As a professor in the MS in Quality program, Dr. Soyster has taught numerous courses including statistical process control, design of experiments, quality planning, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, customer satisfaction, problem solving, and research methods. He has been the director of research for numerous Quality students, assisting them in the planning and execution of their master’s thesis.

Areas of Expertise: Quality Engineering and Quality Management.

Philosophy of Education: As an educator, Dr. Soyster cares that his students learn and have an opportunity to apply this learning in practical and self-fulfilling ways. Consequently, he designs his courses around not only what he wants them to learn but how they will best learn it. In practice, this means that he plans his courses to incorporate the major recommendations on good teaching that include measurable objectives, active learning, small groups, writing to learn, learning portfolios, and assessment. In addition, he wants his students to have an enjoyable learning experience. Therefore, his classes will always engage his students in active participation through questioning, discussion, reflective thinking, and personal application. He infuses a sense of community in his courses by using team-based learning activities that bring people together to practice cooperation, mutual respect, and an appreciation for different perspectives. Finally, Dr. Soyster wants his students to change in significant and lasting ways – change that will positively affect their personal and professional lives. He wants to help his students make a notable contribution to society, to their community, and to their employer because, in his opinion, education is about making the world a better place.