Kazimir Karwowski

Kaz Karwowski joined the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL) as Executive Director in July 2013 after four years with the Bernard M. Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program (GEL) and three years with MIT’s Army ROTC Program. Prior to joining GEL, Kaz served in the U.S. Army Infantry Branch for 20 years and retired in 2009. Kaz has been developing leaders on college campuses through engineering leadership centers and Army ROTC programs for over 10 years. While at MIT and Rice, Kaz has been involved in the entrepreneurship community and has mentored multiple startups that have gone onto great success. Kaz has a deep interest in the leadership development of young people and feels that leadership and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand. He served as Platoon Sergeant in Iraq and a leader with the 10th Mountain Division in Mogadishu, Somalia, Haiti, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Kaz also served in the First Armored Division in the Persian Gulf War.