Our Team
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Ken Bertagnolli " Be a 'learner' not a 'knower.' Be humble enough to abandon ownership of your ideas, seek input from those you don't always agree with, and then run the experiment. The world around you is always changing, and the things you thought you knew may not be accurate anymore. " |
Ken Bertagnolli is the past Vice President of Research, Development, and Engineering at US Synthetic Corp. He has over 27 years of experience in new product development, innovation, lean manufacturing, research, and engineering. He and his team have applied the concepts of DOE and MSA to achieve remarkable results in performance and efficiency. Ken holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and is a named inventor of 121 US patents. |
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Robin Baskette " I believe DOE is the best tool for scientists and engineers to maximize positive results. I enjoy my work because it combines teaching and a technical environment, and I get to help scientists and engineers tackle their problems." |
Robin Baskette holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University and a master's degree in math education from Eastern Kentucky University. Robin used DOE in her work at Lexmark International, developing inks and adhesives for inkjet printer cartridges. She also taught math for several years. |
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Michael Jones " As an economist, I recommend using DOE as a significant tool for firms and researchers to achieve more efficient results. It allows us to obtain the maximum information with the minimal use of time and capital—two of our most important resources." |
Michael Jones is an economist, focusing on the economics of energy policy and microeconomics. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and Clemson University. His passion for teaching was honed at both Clemson and the University of Kentucky. |
Our Consultants
Dr. Charles Whitman
Design of Experiments and Reliability Consultant
" I believe clients need to know how long their parts will last, so I utilize DOE and Reliability procedures to estimate product life. By using a variety of statistical procedures, lab results are translated into a predicted range of product life."
Dr. Charlie Whitman holds a master's in statistics from the University of Kentucky and a PhD in materials science from Northwestern University. His 20 years of experience includes working as a device reliability engineer for Lexmark International and Lucent/Agere Systems, and his current role at Qorvo as a staff reliability engineer in the wafer fabrication facility.
Founders
William Kappele
Retired Founder
"You may have heard the saying, 'Teach a man to fish and you feed him all his life.' I love teaching people to fish!"
Bill Kappele founded Objective Experiments in 1998.
He is a chemist with extensive experience in DOE, both as a researcher and teacher. He first encountered DOE at the beginning of his career at Hewlett‐Packard, where he was responsible for the design and development of dye‐based thermal inkjet inks. He earned numerous U.S. patents for his work. At Hach, Bill developed simplified chemical analyses for water and wastewater treatment.
From Hach, Bill went on to Lexmark International, where he invented the first lightfast black ink for their inkjet printers. He then joined DOE pioneer Dave Doehlert at The Experiment Strategies Foundation, where Bill began to teach DOE to scientists and engineers.
A lifelong learner and born teacher, Bill has seen the powerful advantage that DOE training has given each of his students, from chemists and engineers who convert theories into real‐life products, to researchers who no longer rely on luck to produce results on time and within budget.
Bill is very pleased to know that Ken Bertagnolli will carry on with the great tradition of teaching DOE started by Dave Doehlert.
Beth Heffernan
Retired Founder
"My goal is to share the many benefits of Objective Experiments with our clients."
Beth Heffernan holds a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley. She began her career at Acurex Corporation, and then moved on to Hewlett‐Packard, where she was on the team responsible for developing the ink production process and other components of the inkjet pen. She holds patents for two processes used in the inkjet pen production. Beth has used DOE extensively in the development of these products.
In Memoriam
Dave Doehlert
Bill's Mentor
" Everything that comes from data is uncertain. "
He was the founder and president of The Experiment Strategies Foundation and known worldwide for teaching statistical design and experiment design to engineers and scientists. He trained over 6,000 students in Design of Experiments many of whom state "he changed my life" in their work. What set David apart in this field, as described by a former student and friend, was the focus on the practical application of mathematics. He developed Uniform Shell Designs for experimentation that are now known as "Doehlert Designs" and he worked with Neil Sloane on I-Optimal designs for ways to generate applied statistical design in experimentation on a routine basis. His open-mindedness to different ideas in math application was renown. He was the creator of the software for DOS "STRATEGY" for Design of Experiments.
Bob Johnson
Past Instructor
" Let's all agree to disagree agreeably. "
Bob was one of my dearest friends. He taught me Philosophy, Science, and many keys
to living a good life. Bob was the first person to show me how to evaluate and
compare Experiment Designs graphically.
Bob was the most cheerful, positive man I have ever known. He taught me the value of
cheerfulness. He was cheerful until the very end. He loved the life he lived and
shared his enthusiasm for life with everyone he met.
Bob believed very strongly in a Spiritual World. He believed that death is a transition
from life in a physical body to one in a spiritual body. I've no doubt that Bob will
be cheerful and optimistic in his Spiritual Life, and bring enthusiasm to all those
who know him.