U-M MEAM CPO / Shekinah Errington Professor Maria Comninou successfully combines engineering with law. An advocate for animal rights, she was given this glass swan after her successful law suit to protect a local family of swans.

When students take some of the classes taught by MEAM Professor Maria Comninou, they'll not only be learning about the science of engineering, they'll also be preparing to enter the world of engineering, too.
That's because Comninou, who recently graduated from the U-M Law School and is licensed to practice law in Michigan, is teaching two classes that she initiated about engineering legal issues--ME 508 Law for Engineers and ME 509 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights.
"Engineers work in an environment driven by business and law," says Comninou, who also teaches solid mechanics. "Students need to know about safety issues, changing regulations, and the legal protection of their intellectual work."
Comninou's decision to attend law school grew from her interest in the issues in her undergraduate course, ENG 451 Technology and Society, which explores the impact of technology on contemporary life.
Comninou has been concerned with social and ethical issues inside and outside the classroom. She joined the CoE in 1974--as the first female faculty member in MEAM and the second in the College. She has done a lot of volunteer work for animal rights and welfare issues and has recently represented pro bono a group of volunteers who rescue and protect swans.
Comninou began attending law school in 1994 on a full-time basis, shifting to part-time in MEAM while she was in school. Now that she's back full-time, she says her study of law gives her the tools to pursue some of her engineering interests in a new context.
"Engineering is where I started and who I am," says Comninou. "Studying law has helped me to understand the rudiments of the political system, philosophy, ethics, and economics. I'm especially interested in applying this knowledge to issues--such as intellectual property and government regulations--which have great implications for engineers."
Comninou sees many similarities--and differences--between engineering and law. "Studying law requires a different combination of skills than engineering. There is a lot to learn in both, but the amount of prior information required in law is much bigger. And, in law, even the simplest questions exercise your judgment because the answers are not fixed.
"I take an engineer's approach to law," says Comninou, who is a fellow in both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and American Academy of Mechanics ( AAM), and has served as chair of the Department's Honors and Awards Committee and director of human resources.
"Some people think that engineering is all formulas with black-and-white answers. But a true engineer knows you must often give your best answer, even though it may not be the ideal answer. Law is like that. Those who understand the 'art' of engineering are comfortable with law."