William Topp

Trine University - Allen School of Engineering and Computing
BS, Western Michigan University; MBA, University of Phoenix; Ph.D., Capella University
Office Location - SDI 224
260.665.4976 | email

I come from the business world, with over 30 years of experience in various IT roles. For the past 24 years, as a consultant, I have worked primarily in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, managing large, multi-million-dollar, global IT projects for their respective laboratories. In my previous position, I was responsible for a $31 million cybersecurity portfolio comprising various applications and projects.

Since obtaining my Ph.D. in 2022, I have been an adjunct professor with TrineOnline, teaching international graduate students. I am also an adjunct professor at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), where I have taught in-person and online courses within their Computer Information Systems (CIS) curriculum. I have authored several classes, both at GRCC and at Trine, including Cyber Law, Machine Learning, and Programming for Cybersecurity.

I absolutely love teaching! Both my parents were educators, and it is in my blood. My father is a “Hall of Fame” coach and math teacher at Kalamazoo Central High School. My mother taught nursing at the now-defunct Nazareth College in Kalamazoo and started the nursing program at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. I have been a coach for youth sports and an adult baseball team, serving on the various boards of those programs nearly every year.

My wife and I have been married for 33 wonderful years. Together, we have three grown children and two dogs.

Fun fact: I played Division I Football at Western Michigan University, and my dad counseled Derek Jeter on his New York Yankees contract.

My hobbies include cooking (I’m a mean BBQ and smoker cook), playing with cybersecurity tools, and relaxing on the deck with my wife and family.