Dear UConn Engineering Community:

We are writing to provide you with an update about the search for the Dean of the School of Engineering.  One of the key goals for the Dean will be to develop a comprehensive strategic plan with clear over-arching goals and metrics, with input from faculty, staff, and students to guide the growth of the School of Engineering.  The key elements of the strategic plan will include:

• Growth of extramurally-funded research and scholarship in grand challenge areas for engineering;
• Development of innovative curriculum (especially programs that provide students with unique opportunities to integrate engineering with public policy, creativity, and humanist approaches) to recruit high-caliber students at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
• Diversity enhancement at all levels through effective K-12 outreach, and proactive recruitment, retention and promotion of faculty, staff and students;
• Partnerships with industry to support Bioscience CT and the Tech Park initiatives.

Our timeline for the search is as follows.  A search committee will be formed during the spring semester that will include representative members of the faculty, students, staff, alumni and the engineering community.  We will retain a nationally-renowned search firm to assist us in this effort.  The formal search will commence in fall 2013, and we expect that finalists will make presentations on campus and a final selection made by December 2013.

At the beginning of the fall semester, a school-wide meeting will be scheduled to seek your ideas and input about this important position for the University of Connecticut. 

We are so proud of the contributions of all of our faculty and staff in the School of Engineering and look forward to continuing to work with you during this transition.  We also want to express our sincere appreciation to Dr. Kazem Kazerounian for his important contributions as Interim Dean.  

Best wishes for a happy and productive new year, and as always, thank you all so very much for your support. 

Mun Choi            Sally Reis

Provost                Vice Provost