Living the Dream

When asked, “How are you doing?” Geotechnician Frank Wille’s response is usually, “Living the dream.” His official title is Electromechanical Technician II, and in the College of Science, where he works, people know him as a sort of Mr. Gadget. He has a full machine shop and is the go-to guy for anything that needs to be built in the college.

“Building things in the machine shop for the College of Science is about 25% of my job, with 75% being devoted to the Department of Geological Sciences,” Wille said. “I maintain vehicles, and fix geology equipment as well as set up labs.”

Wille came by his mechanical skills honestly; his father was a wood shop teacher. He also studied mechanical engineering at Cal Poly Pomona and his training included machine shop work.  After leaving CPP Wille designed truck campers but always felt the urge to teach.

“I got a degree in Geology and then a teaching credential. I taught middle school and high school science. I came to CPP in 2015 because this job was a perfect fit for me. I get to pursue my love for building things AND my interest in geology” Wille said.

Wille is also the person who coordinates the field trips that are a regular part of the geology curriculum. Wille shared that “The most memorable trip was when we went to Idaho to see the eclipse. We stopped at several geologic sites along the way and students gave presentations on those sites. It was a great experience for the students.”

Most of the field trips involve hiking to observe formations and creating geologic maps. Being able to do geologic mapping prepares students for work in a variety of fields, including water and energy development, building construction, and transportation.

Wille is proud of the fact that he gets to build equipment for the college. He’s currently building a stream table for the geology department. When complete, the table will have a layer of sand with water flowing across it to demonstrate things like water flow, erosion, and sediment transport. Because of the weight, the device will require a fork-lift to transport it.

Wille summed up his work by saying “I have the best job in the world. I get to build things, study geology, and go camping on field trips. On top of all that, I get to work with a lot of really awesome people here at Cal Poly Pomona. That’s why I’m living the dream.”