Coulter named interim dean at RCEAS

John Coulter, associate dean of engineering research and graduate studies at Lehigh, has been named interim dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, effective July 1, 2015. His appointment follows the announcement that Dan Lopresti, professor and chair of the department of computer science and engineering who had served in the interim dean role since July 1, 2014, will be leading Data X, a new and exciting strategic initiative at Lehigh.

“We are pleased to share the news that Professor Coulter will be taking on the role of interim dean during this transitional time,” said Provost Patrick V. Farrell. “And we particularly appreciate the strengths he will bring to this role. As an award-winning researcher and teacher with proven experience in leadership, he’s earned the respect of faculty, staff, students and administrators and peers across the higher education landscape. We are confident Professor Coulter will continue to provide inspired leadership at a critical juncture.”

Coulter also served as interim dean for a period of several months in 2004.

Recently, Provost Farrell decided to close the RCEAS dean search, and will commence a new search early this fall. Preliminary work on the search process will take place over the summer months.

At that time, the search committee for the new engineering dean will be charged with conducting an international search to seek external as well as internal candidates for the position, invite nominations, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate, Farrell said.

Professor Coulter has 25 years of teaching and research experience at Lehigh, as well as several years of industrial experience with Lord Corporation, a multi-national company specializing in materials and devices for vibration and acoustic control. His research focuses on manufacturing science and intelligent mechanical and material systems.

His accomplishments at Lehigh have been recognized through several teaching and research awards, federal and industrial research support, a prestigious NSF National Young Investigator award, and Lehigh’s first-ever NSF Presidential Faculty Fellow award.

He’s led projects with faculty across the engineering college’s seven departments, and across the university, generated more than $8.5 million in research and teaching grants, and has more than 165 professional publications, several patents and intellectual property donations to Lehigh to his credit.

During his time at Lehigh, Coulter has taught several thousand undergraduate students, mentored 23 doctoral students and 61 masters students, and won several awards for curriculum innovation.

Since 2002, he has served as associate dean for research and graduate studies, where he oversees the operation and continuous enhancement of engineering graduate programs and research across the campus. He’s also served as co-chair of the university’s strategic task force that developed the current vision and implementation plan for enhancing graduate studies and research at Lehigh.

Coulter earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Delaware, and completed his doctoral studies in mechanical engineering at Delaware in 1987.