Message from the Dean (November 2004)

Welcome to the November 2004 edition of Enginews, the monthly online newsletter of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
As many of you are already aware, on November 1, I assumed the role of Provost. In making this transition, I would like to thank all of you who shared your good wishes, ideas, and hopes with me in the past several weeks. I am also pleased to note the positive momentum which the teamwork and special efforts of so many of us working together have produced in just a few years. I have greatly enjoyed serving the College as Dean, and will continue to take both a strong personal and professional interest in the work we've begun together here, and the great achievements of which our College may justly be proud.
I look forward to witnessing the ongoing transformation of the College, due to the combined energies and innovation of our dedicated faculty members and the 37 talented new faculty members who have been hired in the past 3 years. In the past 2 years alone, we have added several new research centers and institutes to the resources available here at the College, and enhanced our capability to offer an increasingly strong array of interdisciplinary programs.
We have also reached out to the wider community with programs such as CHOICES and our recent summer camp for middle-school girls. I also consider the formation of an engaged Advisory Board a major achievement for the College. The members of the Advisory Board are alumni who are now industry leaders in a variety of fields. Their excitement in working with the College should continue to provide fresh ideas, troubleshooting, and access to new resources and strategies. Building strong, effective bridges with industry and other partners is increasingly a cornerstone to the success of many of our programs.
Recently you received a message from Dean Anne Meltzer of the College of Arts & Sciences which further outlined the process that has been established to search for a new Dean for the College of Engineering from among our own faculty. I believe that the process that has been setup is sound and that the members of the search committee will identify and select only the best qualified candidates for the position. The deadline which the committee has set will help insure that the College receives new leadership in the appropriate timeframe.
As stated in my email message to you yesterday, John Coulter has accepted the assignment of Interim Dean for the time period November 1st through December 31st, and, of course, the college staff is ready to handle all activities as usual during this time period. The only change in the college staff is that Debra Nyby will be joining the Provost Office team and will assume the position of Executive Assistant to the Provost starting November 1, 2004.
Although I will be leaving my former office in Packard Lab, sometime in November, I can assure you that, as Provost, my best efforts will be directed toward improving the state of the University, and continuing to support the College of Engineering. We are a critical part of the future of the University, and our strong relationships with our colleagues and programs across the University will keep us moving in the right direction. I hope to hear from you frequently.
I hope you enjoy reading Enginews. As always, feel free to drop a line to Cheryl Harris or Kurt Pfitzer with suggestions for improvement and with ideas for stories and photos.
Best wishes,
Mohamed S. El-Aasser