Ada-Rhodes Wish

Biography

Dr. Ada-Rhodes Wish (maiden name Ada-Rhodes Short) has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University, where her research focused on design, automation, and decision-making. Dr. Wish has over a decade of experience in cutting-edge robotics, artificial intelligence, and product design work for both private companies and major research universities, and has been teaching in one form or another since 2014.While at UNO, where she is on a teaching-dominant workload, her research focus has shifted from how to make machines learn and think more like humans into how to teach students to think and learn.She has developed over a dozen new or majorly improved courses over her first five years at UNO and helped launch the MS HCC, BS ACMP, and Minor in Game Programming and Design (GamePaD). She currently serves as chair of the GamePaD minor program committee and as advisor to the Maverick Meadow student-run indie game studio.Her career highlights include winning multiple CES design innovation awards, designing the home robot Misty, helping to make Star Wars’ BB-8 a reality, and solo-authoring an Inquiry-Based Math Education (IBME) textbook on Discrete Math, which will hopefully be published soon.In her spare time, Dr. Wish likes to play sports, make art, and develop video games.

Teaching Interests

Topics: Design theory and methods, game design, discrete math, robotics, and mechatronic engineeringMethods: Experiential and constructivist methods such as Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Inquiry-Based Learning

Research Interests

Post-secondary education, design decision making, game design, and robotics

Service Summary

Dr. Wish's current service work focuses on improving teaching methods. She is currently the chair of the Game Programming and Design (GamePaD) Minor Curriculum Committee and the advisor of the Maverick Meadow student-run indie game studio. Additionally, she serves on the ACMP Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the Si2 Graduate Program Committee, the General Education Physical Science Subcommittee, the CIST Academic Committee, and the University Committee for the Advancement of Teaching (UCAT).She has also served as chair of the CIST DEAI committee, as chair of the ASME DED BPart Committee, and on the Chancellor's Committee on Sexual and Gender Equity and the Faculty Advisory Committee.

Awards and Honors

Nebraska Women in Technology, Diversity Champion of the Year, Teaching - 2025

TOP PAPER AWARD, Scholarship/Research - 2015

CES DESIGN INNOVATION AWARD IN ROBOTICS AND DRONES CATEGORY - 2019

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE RESEARCH, Scholarship/Research - 2016

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN LGBTQ ADVOCACY AWARD, Service, Community - 2014

SOROPTIMISTS INTERNATIONAL RUBY AWARD FOR WOMEN HELPING WOMEN RESEARCH, Service, Community - 2019

PHM SOCIETY DOCTORAL SYMPOSIUM SELECTION, Scholarship/Research - 2015

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTAL HONOREE FINALIST, Scholarship/Research - 2015

CONFERENCE ON EARTH ENERGY & RESEARCH, GRADUATE POSTER PRESENTATION RUNNER UP, Scholarship/Research - 2015

UNIVERSITY OF DENVER ANALYTIC CHALLENGE RUNNER UP, Scholarship/Research - 2015

Education

Ph D, Oregon State University, Mechanical Engineering, 2018

MS, Colorado School of Mines, Mechanical Engineering, 2016

BS, Baylor University, Mechanical Engineering, 2014