Jonathan Wickert, former chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, became dean of Iowa State’s College of Engineering effective July 1. Wickert succeeds Mark J. Kushner, who joined the University of Michigan faculty in September 2008. James Bernard, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor of Engineering, had served as interim dean.
“The College of Engineering is widely recognized for the strength of its educational and research programs and its commitment to technology transfer and economic development,” Wickert remarked. “I look forward to working closely with our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends as we build upon that strong legacy and educate the next generation of Cyclone engineers.”
Wickert has nearly 20 years of experience on the faculty of Carnegie Mellon University and Iowa State and has served as a visiting research fellow at the University of Cambridge in England and as visiting professor at Helsinki University of Technology, Finland. His research has advanced the technology of high-density computer data storage and improved the design of automotive disk brakes, gas turbine blades, and production equipment for sheet metal, polymer web, and chopped fiber materials.
He is the author of the textbook An Introduction to Mechanical Engineering, which has been translated into Korean, Chinese, and Portuguese. Additionally, Wickert has authored 125 scientific articles and is the holder of two U.S. patents. Wickert received a BS, MS, and PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.