Harvey Stenger named Dean of Engineering at SUNY-Buffalo

Harvey G. Stenger, professor of chemical engineering and former dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, is concluding a 22-year career at Lehigh to become dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo. His appointment takes effect Aug. 1.

	Harvey Stenger

Stenger, who oversaw an expansion of the Lehigh engineering college’s academic programs, research and funding support during his six years as dean, was praised by colleagues at Lehigh and SUNY-Buffalo for his devotion to people, especially students.
“Harvey Stenger is one of those special people blessed with intense intellect, clear thinking and a true passion for students,” said S. David Wu, Iacocca Professor and dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. “He will be a great addition to Buffalo and he will be sorely missed at Lehigh.”
“Harvey Stenger stands out, even among the truly outstanding pool of candidates we were fortunate to attract during our nationwide search,” said John B. Simpson, president of SUNY-Buffalo. “Not only is he an accomplished scholar and faculty member who already has distinguished himself in his field, but he also is a seasoned academic administrator who has considerable experience in leading a prominent engineering program.
“It’s clear that his leadership in this capacity has been characterized by a strong commitment to innovation, research excellence and curricular rigor, as well as great success in forging strong and dynamic partnerships with business and industry.”
Stenger, who was born near Buffalo in Auburn, N.Y., joined the Lehigh faculty in 1984 and served as dean of the engineering college from 1993 to 1999. During his tenure as dean, the college launched its award-winning Integrated Product Development program and expanded its nationally renowned cooperative education program. Stenger also oversaw the founding of the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance, a partnership between Lehigh, Carnegie-Mellon University and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that promotes economic and technological development.
Stenger also helped establish the Dean’s Scholar program for exceptional undergraduates and revamp the freshman engineering curriculum to provide students more opportunities for hands-on learning.
As dean, Stenger worked closely with Lehigh’s office of advancement to obtain a $27.5-million gift from the late Peter C. Rossin, a member of Lehigh’s Class of 1948 for whom the engineering college is now named. The gift is the largest Lehigh has received in its 141-year history.
Before his appointment as dean, Stenger served as co-chair of the chemical engineering department and director of the Environmental Studies Center.
Stenger conducts research in energy and the environment, especially nitric oxide reduction, fuel cell design, and coal-derived mercury emissions. He has helped more than a dozen small and medium-sized companies complete process- and product-development projects. He also created a commercial software tool to teach engineering computations.
At Lehigh, Stenger received half a dozen university and college faculty awards, including the Hillman Award for graduate student advising, the Lewis Award from the Lehigh University Alumni Association, the Stabler Award for undergraduate teaching, and the Alfred Noble Robinson Award for outstanding performance and unusual promise of professional achievement. He also won the engineering college’s Teacher of the Year Award four times.
Stenger holds a B.S. from Cornell University in 1979 and an Sc.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.