Dan Block

Daniel J. Block (BS GE ’91; MS GE ’96)   

Daniel J. Block is a pioneering educator and engineer whose career has profoundly influenced control systems education and research at the University of Illinois and beyond. With both his bachelor's and master's degrees in General Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Dan has dedicated over three decades to advancing hands-on learning in embedded control systems. 

Since 1994, Dan has served as the Control Systems Laboratory Manager at UIUC’s Grainger College of Engineering, where he has played a pivotal role in shaping the university’s internationally renowned decision and control systems program. He has instructed multiple courses, including Introduction to Mechatronics (SE 423), Digital Control of Dynamic Systems (SE 420), Computer Control of Mechanical Systems (ME 461), and Robot Dynamics and Control (ME 446), reaching over 750 students annually. His commitment extends beyond instruction—he develops and maintains control system laboratories, supervises teaching assistants, and designs innovative experiments that integrate the latest advancements in sensors, actuators, and processors. 

Dan's impact is not limited to UIUC. He co-founded Mechatronic Systems, Inc. with Professor Mark Spong, developing the Pendubot, an underactuated robotic system based on his master's thesis. This device, along with its successor, the Mechatronics Control Kit, has been used in engineering education worldwide. Additionally, Dan has collaborated with industry leaders such as Texas Instruments and National Instruments, ensuring that UIUC’s control systems curriculum remains cutting-edge. 

His dedication to student success is unmatched. Beyond formal coursework, he has mentored numerous students on senior design projects and graduate research, contributing to theses and co-authoring research publications. His efforts were particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when he adapted lab coursework into take-home kits, ensuring continuity in hands-on learning. 

Recognized as a global authority in control systems education, Dan’s influence extends beyond academia. His expertise is sought by educational institutions, research laboratories, and companies worldwide.