As I began preparing for when I would take the College of Engineering’s reins from Jonathan Wickert, who is now the senior vice president and provost at Iowa State, I knew the college was in great shape.
Each day on the job of interim dean, I realize just how true this is.
Our research funding is growing with support from agencies like the National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, U.S. Department of Energy, and many more.
And our faculty members consistently receive prestigious awards, like Vlasta Klima Balloun Professor Hans van Leeuwen’s recent Global Award for Applied Research.
With classes back in session, we are seeing record enrollment again this year, and our commitment to provide high-quality education remains strong. The engineering college has hired 26 new faculty members, who will help us manage this growth and educate the future of the engineering industry while also conducting research that addresses important national needs.
The students in our college are always doing remarkable things, like those on Team PrISUm who earned second place in this year’s American Solar Car Challenge, and Carl Kirpes, who graduated this summer and was named a Tau Beta Pi Laureate.
We are continually expanding our online learning opportunities to keep up with the needs and interests of our alumni and others in industry, which is seen in programs like the new master’s in engineering management that will officially begin in the spring semester.
Construction is taking place on our Biorenewables Complex, which includes adding Elings Hall and Sukup Hall to house the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. (You can keep up with the building progress on a live webcam.)
I’m honored to be serving as interim dean for the college and university I have called home for 31 wonderful years. You can be assured we’ve got a great team in place to keep things moving forward as we continue the momentum within the college.