SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador 2026: Farmingdale – Dan Parks

Dan Parks is a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Farmingdale State College. Dan believes in bridging theoretical concepts with hands-on applications to prepare students for real-world engineering challenges. He is a graduate of the Mechanical Engineering Technology program at Farmingdale State College and holds a Master of Engineering degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering with a concentration in Engineering Management from the University at Buffalo. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Stony Brook University.

He has extensive hands-on experience in manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing, quality control, and materials science. Prior to his faculty role, he was a Design Engineer and Instructional Support Technician, bringing a strong foundation in applied engineering education to the classroom. His industry background underpins his approach to curriculum development, where he regularly incorporates his professional experience.

In addition to teaching, Professor Parks is regularly exploring educational technology, leveraging digital resources to enhance student engagement.

“I’ll be honest, online courses were not my preferred format early on in my college career. That changed when I experienced well-designed online courses. That experience stuck with me, and it shapes how I approach my own courses today. I build every online course with a simple standard: Would this course have a positive impact on those students who are taking an online course for the first time?

With a background in engineering, I treat my LMS the way a designer treats a product. The student is the user and their experience matters. I build my courses with visual roadmaps, custom modules, and interactive activities so students always know where they are and what comes next. For technical content, I develop detailed annotation guides that give students a framework to follow, which is critical for asynchronous courses where materials need to stand on their own.

What keeps me invested is the access online teaching provides. Many of my students are balancing work, families, and full course loads. A well-designed online course doesn’t lower the bar, it removes unnecessary barriers so students can meet it. That’s what I try to build into every course.”