A Leadership Reflection from 2025 IEEE STEM Champion Dr. John Santiago

Summary

In this personal reflection, Dr. John Santiago—retired USAF Colonel, university educator, and 2025 IEEE STEM Champion/Volunteer—shares how his journey led him to a powerful insight: every engineer is, in some way, both an educator and entrepreneur. This mindset, he believes, has the power to transform IEEE into a global platform for leadership, mentorship, and innovation through the STEAM-TEAMS initiative STEM grant.

What If We Reimagined What It Means to Be an Engineer?

What if we stopped viewing engineers only as technical problem-solvers?

What if we recognized that the roles of educator and entrepreneur are already embedded in the engineering mindset—and always have been?

As someone who served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, spent two decades teaching at the university level, and volunteered as an IEEE life member, I’ve come to believe that:

Every engineer is, by nature, both an educator and an entrepreneur.

This isn’t theory—it’s lived experience. And it’s the lens through which I now see IEEE.

The Educator in Every Engineer

Even before I became a professor, I was teaching.

In the Air Force, I briefed generals, mentored junior officers, and translated complexity into clarity. Later, as an engineering faculty member, I taught electrical and computer engineering, physics, and mathematics—and mentored students well beyond the classroom.

From senior design projects to STEAM outreach, I witnessed a truth:
Engineers are always explaining, guiding, and uplifting others.

That’s education.
And it starts the moment we show someone how to think differently.

The Engineer as Entrepreneur

I never launched a startup in the traditional sense—but I’ve launched plenty of ideas…that’s the entrepreneurial mindset.  The entrepreneurial mindset is not just about starting a business; it’s about ownership, curiosity, and value creation—all central to good engineering.

From high-energy laser R&D to multimedia STEM outreach, from mentoring IEEE students to building values-based leadership content like PyramidX-OS, I’ve spent a career identifying problems and designing scalable solutions.

That’s entrepreneurship.
Whether you’re in a lab, a classroom, a cockpit, or a community center.

My I-EEE: A New Interpretation

One of IEEE’s tagline, in addition to ‘Technology for Humanity’ says:

“My Story. My Professional Home. My IEEE.”

For me, it’s become something more:

“Everyone is My I-EEE (Engineer, Educator, Entrepreneur)”

Why? Because everyone we mentor, collaborate with, or learn from becomes part of our story. Whether it’s a student at a STEAM-TEAMS demo, a fellow section volunteer, or a parent helping build a squishy circuit—we are constantly growing our I-EEE network.

IEEE is more than an organization. It’s a living system of engineers who teach, build, and serve.
We are all educators. We are all entrepreneurs.

And in that spirit, everyone is My I-EEE.

What If IEEE Embraced This Mindset?

What if every IEEE section became a micro-accelerator of mentorship and innovation?

What if we recognized every member as a hub of impact—capable of shaping lives, not just systems?

What if our greatest value as engineers wasn’t only in our inventions, but in our influence?

That’s not just a vision. It’s a direction we’re already moving—if we choose to own it.

Closing Thoughts

From McDonald’s swing manager to USAF officer to IEEE STEM Champion, I’ve learned this:

  • We lead without titles.

  • We teach without permission.

  • We create without guarantees.

So to my fellow engineers—especially the skeptics—I offer this challenge:

  • Who did you teach today?

  • What idea did you champion that made someone’s life better?

  • Who in your circle is becoming “My I-EEE”?

Your technical skills may open the door—but your willingness to teach and build will define your legacy.

Let’s lead with both.