Leadership Searches
College of Engineering Dean Search
Downloadable Position Profile PDF
The Opportunity
The University of South Florida (USF) invites inquiries, nominations, and expressions of interest and applications for the position of Dean, College of Engineering. The university seeks a dynamic and entrepreneurial leader and scholar who will build upon the existing strengths of the faculty and the untapped potential of the college further to advance the University toward becoming a Top-25 public research university.
About the College of Engineering
Established in 1964, the College of Engineering at the University of South Florida is ranked #56 among public institutions (#85 overall) by U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 engineering graduate school rankings.
Students are the heart of the College of Engineering. The College serves 6,679 students, including 5,465 undergraduates and 1,214 graduate students. The College offers 11 bachelor’s programs, nine of which are ABET-accredited, and 13 master’s and eight doctoral degrees.
The 130 administrative staff members are a cornerstone of the College of Engineering and not only ensure the College’s smooth operations but also serve as intermediaries between students, faculty, and administration.
The College is home to roughly 200 full-time faculty and instructors who are passionate about the transformative impact of research and scholarly activities across disciplines. Their contributions have significantly fueled the university’s growth. The faculty are actively engaged in local and global research activities with $48.3 million in FY23 expenditures, an increase from $37 million in FY19. The faculty submitted 341 proposals, and 150 were funded in FY23.
Faculty and researchers conduct research across seven departments: Chemical, Biological, & Materials Engineering; Civil & Environmental Engineering; Computer Science & Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Industrial & Management Systems Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Medical Engineering. The College's 11 research centers and institutes have garnered national and international recognition, including the outstanding contributions of the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) and the Clean Energy Research Center (CERC).
Learn more about the College of Engineering.
College Mission
The mission of the USF College of Engineering is to have profound positive impact on lives around the world through steadfast pursuit of world-class research, education and innovation.
College Vision
We aspire to be at the forefront of interdisciplinary research, cultivating knowledgeable, passionate engineers who are dedicated to need-based solutions to the world's most complex problems.
College Values
We share a culture of excellence, characterized by an emphasis on students, research, innovation, partnership, inclusivity, agility, and the future. We welcome you to join us through scholarship, professorship, or partnership.
The Position
As the College's chief academic and executive officer, the Dean provides intellectual,
strategic, and moral leadership that cultivates a shared sense of purpose and direction.
The Dean works closely with department heads, faculty, and staff within the College
and fellow deans, vice presidents, vice provosts, and other leaders throughout the
institution. The Dean is the most prominent advocate for engineering at the University
of South Florida and, as such, builds and leverages relationships with alumni, industry
leaders, influential partners internally and externally, and stakeholders across the
University, the state of Florida, and around the world.
The Dean has 11 direct reports, including the seven department chairs, the Executive Associate Dean, the Associate Dean for Research, the Associate Dean for Access & Engineering Workforce Development, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The College of Engineering has an operating budget of $111 million, and the Dean is expected to be an adept financial planner and steward on behalf of the College.
Key Opportunities and Challenges
The Dean will be expected and empowered to:
Leverage the strengths of a tier one, AAU research institution to build a collaborative,
impactful, and interdisciplinary vision for the College of Engineering
In recent years, USF has experienced a notable upward trajectory marked by advancements
in research, increased enrollments, and enhanced USNWR rankings. The incoming Dean
assumes their role at a pivotal juncture, as both the College and the university stand
at the threshold of further expansion with the aim of placing USF among the top 25
public universities, and with a heavy emphasis on fundamental, applied, and translational
research as central to USF’s effort. This presents a significant opportunity for the
Dean to collaborate with faculty, staff, and students in crafting a vision for the
next chapter of the College of Engineering in harmony with the objectives and goals
in the University's Strategic Plan.
The College of Engineering Dean has the opportunity to develop a new strategic plan
with actionable goals that promote the work of the College, advance research, and
serve the greater mission of the University. The University has announced plans to
create a full-fledged College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Computing
whose research will align with the College of Engineering, and which will serve as
a
collaborative for new investments and advancements. The Dean will leverage these new
opportunities and partner with deans and the Provost to chart the next epoch of growth
for the College.
Elevate fundamental, applied, and translational research across the College and the
University of South Florida
As a newly minted AAU institution, the threshold for research excellence has never
been higher at USF, and the College of Engineering has played a vital role in contributing
to the university’s research enterprise both in terms of research expenditures and
the intellectual contributions of its faculty, scholars, and students. The Dean will
nurture the continued growth of research across the College of Engineering, including
focused attention on cross-pollinating Centers and Institutes, while expanding the
College’s
sphere of impact across the university. The Dean will leverage the College’s close
relationship with other collaborative colleges, the unique capacities of the IAE,
and its talented Engineering Advisory Board, among other assets, to address Florida’s
and the world’s most pressing challenges.
An adept understanding of the federal funding landscape and a creative approach to differentiating funding streams will be essential in maximizing research growth and innovation opportunities. Corporate funding is currently at $10m for the College, and there is potential to grow both corporate and foundation support for research.
Cultivate, steward, and support the talented faculty, staff, and students of the College
of Engineering
The College of Engineering boasts a skilled faculty comprising scholars, researchers,
and educators of the highest caliber, all of whom are dedicated to USF’s mission as
an essential public university. The Dean will support their academic and research
pursuits, aligning them with the College's vision, emphasizing their broader impact,
and fostering professional growth opportunities for tenure and non-tenure track faculty.
The Dean will be an effective recruiter and continue to attract world-class faculty
to expand the knowledge and breadth of the College.
Furthermore, the Dean will build opportunities for professional growth and advancement
for the talented staff who support the College’s ambitions and endeavors. The Dean
will also be a champion for advancing the College’s educational offerings, empowering
staff and faculty to explore innovative learning modalities to meet students where
they are, ensuring robust resources are available to support student
life and student mental health, and encouraging undergraduate research and further
career opportunities.
Manage resources effectively while expanding the College’s funding base and revenue
streams
The next Dean must expand and strengthen the financial base of the College to support
its most ambitious aims. The Dean must be able to advocate for the College in the
context of a public university system and be adept at securing public and private
funding. Florida’s dynamic growth offers myriad industry opportunities, such as tourism,
the Space Coast, coastal and environmental sustainability, and biomanufacturing sectors
supported by State, Federal, and private funding. All the necessary ingredients are
in place: a strong institutional reputation, subject relevance, donor interest, philanthropic
capacity, and the intellectual activities and successes to inspire, galvanize, and
cement support for the College’s aspirations.
Qualifications & Characteristics
The successful candidate must have an excellent history of scholarly accomplishment, research leadership, and administrative acumen. The next Dean of Engineering will possess a clear vision of the future of engineering research and education, a proven record of achieving community and philanthropic support, an understanding and appreciation of shared governance, a demonstrated commitment to student success, and the ability to work effectively with various industry and other external stakeholders.
A successful candidate should possess many of the following characteristics:
- A renowned scholar-leader with an established record of advanced research in engineering, including credentials that merit appointment at the rank of full professor. A Ph.D. is required;
- A demonstrated record and commitment to supporting world-class research, teaching, and public service;
- Substantial administrative leadership and fluency in the operational aspects and management expectations of a large, complex, tier one research university;
- Proven success in — or aptitude for — external and alumni relations and development;
- A record of success in identifying and recruiting outstanding faculty and staff;
- The ability to identify and cultivate sources of external funding and support;
- An inspirational commitment to and vision for undergraduate and graduate education;
- Support entrepreneurship and close relationships within the engineering and high-technology industries;
- The ability to navigate university-level administration;
- An articulate vision for the role of engineering colleges in the 21st century;
- A commitment to and vision for collaborative and interdisciplinary engagements, locally, regionally, and globally.
Procedures for Inquiries
Every effort will be made to preserve confidentiality of information received. General inquiries should be submitted electronically in confidence to Afi Tettey-Fio.
Procedures for Nominations
Nominations may be submitted electronically here.
Procedures for Candidacy
Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest highlighting the applicant’s personal vision and relevant leadership experience. Applications are subject to the State of Florida Sunshine Laws. To ensure full consideration applications should be submitted electronically here.
Search Advisory Committee
- Bernard Batson, Associate Dean for Access & Engineering Workforce Development
- Tiffany Chenneville, Professor, Marie E. and E. Leslie Cole Endowed Chair in Ethics, College of Arts and Sciences, USF St. Petersburg campus
- Julius Davis, President and CEO of VoltAir, Inc.
- Cindy DeLuca, Vice President for Student Success
- Rajiv Dubey, Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Eric Eisenberg, Senior Vice President for University-Community Partnerships
- Sarina Ergas, Professor & Graduate Program Coordinator Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Robert Frisina, Distinguished University Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Medical Engineering
- Yogi Goswami, Distinguished University Professor of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering
- Paul Kirchman, Campus Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, USF Sarasota-Manatee campus
- Mingyang Li, Associate Professor Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
- Pritish Mukherjee, Vice Provost for Strategy, Institutional Excellence & Faculty Success
- David Simmons, Associate Professor of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering
- Sylvia Thomas, Vice President of Research & Innovation, President & CEO of the USF Research Foundation Inc.
- Jing Wang, Professor and Co-Director of Center for Wireless and Microwave Information Systems (WAMI Center)
Meeting & Minutes
ENG Advisory Committee Kickoff Meeting
May 2, 2023
Agenda
Committee Meeting
August 13, 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Research Park, First Floor Conference Room (3814 Spectrum Blvd)
Committee Meeting
September 20, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 291 926 783 873
Passcode: ZyWbG4
Committee Interviews
October 1, 10:45 am - 5:00 pm
Schedule
10:45 - 11:45 am, Committee Meeting
11:45 am - 1:00 pm, Candidate #1 Interview
1:00 - 1:30 pm, Committee debrief
1:30 - 2:45 pm, Candidate #2 Interview
2:45 - 3:15 pm, Committee Debrief
3:15 - 4:30 pm, Candidate #3 Interview
4:30 - 5:00 pm, Committee Debrief
Microsoft Teams Call-in Details:
813-694-2079
Phone conference ID: 602 396 359#
Committee Interviews
October 7, 7:55 am - 5:30 pm
Schedule
7:55 - 8:00 am, Committee Meeting
8:00 - 9:15 am, Candidate #4 Interview
9:25 - 9:45 am, Committee debrief
9:45 -11 am, Candidate #5 Interview
11:00 - 11:30 am, Committee Debrief
11:30 am - 12:45 pm, Candidate #6 Interview
12:45 – 1:30 pm, Committee Debrief and Break
Microsoft Teams Call-in Details:
813-694-2079
Phone conference ID: 799 549 382#
Committee Interviews (rescheduled due to Hurricane Milton)
October 30, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Schedule
9:00 - 9:30 am, Committee Prep Meeting
9:30 - 10:45 am, Candidate #7 Interview
10:45 - 11:00 am, Committee Debrief
11:00 - 12:15 pm, Candidate #8 Interview
12:30 - 2:00 pm, Committee Debrief
Microsoft Teams Call-in Details:
813-694-2079
Phone conference ID: 834 845 332#
Committee Interview & Breakfast: Dr. Stelios Andreadis
November 7
7:30 - 8:45 am
ENB 109
Committee Interview & Breakfast: Dr. Burçin Becerik-Gerber
November 12
8:00 - 8:45 am
ENB 109
Committee Interview & Breakfast: Dr. Srinath Ekkad
November 13
8:00 - 8:45 am
ENB 109
Committee Interview & Breakfast: Dr. Levi Thompson
November 18
8:00 - 8:45 am
ENB 109
Listening Sessions
Virtual Listening Session - External Stakeholders
July 17, 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 261 215 972 314
Passcode: jVuNeg
Faculty Listening Session
August 13, 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Research Park, First Floor Conference Room (3814 Spectrum Blvd)
or join via Teams
Staff Listening Session
August 13, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Research Park, First Floor Conference Room (3814 Spectrum Blvd)
or join via Teams
Student Listening Session
August 13, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Teams
Candidate On Campus Town Halls
Dr. Stelios Andreadis
View CV
November 7
10:00 - 10:50 am
ENB 109 or Via Teams
Candidate Feedback Form
Dr. Burçin Becerik-Gerber
View CV
November 12
10:00 - 10:50 am
ENB 109 or Via Teams
Candidate Feedback Form
Dr. Srinath Ekkad
View CV
November 13
10:00 - 10:50 am
ENB 109 or Via Teams
Candidate Feedback Form
Dr. Levi Thompson
View CV
November 18
10:00 - 10:50 am
CUTR 102 or Via Teams
Candidate Feedback Form
These dates have been held for on campus interviews after the originals were rescheduled. Candidate information and CVs will be posted when visit details are confirmed.