Thomas Conry

Thomas F. Conry is a Professor Emeritus of Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He earned his B.S. in Engineering Mechanics from Pennsylvania State University and his graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He began his career at General Motors, earned his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and joined the Illinois faculty in 1971. He later served as Head of the General Engineering department from 1987 to 1998, where he strengthened the curriculum in systems and control and taught mechanical design, with research in machine dynamics and tribology. Conry was deeply involved in academic leadership and accreditation. He coordinated ABET reviews for his department, held multiple leadership roles within ABET—including serving on its Board of Directors—and contributed to higher education accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission. He was also active in faculty governance, helping guide campus educational policy and serving in key senate leadership roles. In addition to his academic work, Conry has been an active member of professional societies such as ASME and ASEE, holding several leadership positions. After retiring in 2006, he spent over a decade consulting in forensic engineering and remained engaged in community service through organizations such as the Urbana Rotary Club and the Illinois State University Annuitants’ Association. He married Sharon Silverwood in 1967, and they have three daughters and two grandchildren.