Search Initiated for New Clark School Dean

The following email was sent to the Clark School community on January 15 on behalf of University of Maryland Senior Vice President and Provost Mary Ann Rankin:

Dear Colleagues,

I write to let you know that we have initiated the search for a new Dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering. We are aggressively carrying out a national search to find the most highly qualified candidates in the country for this position. Amitabh Varshney, Dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, is chairing the search committee, and the international executive search firm of Isaacson Miller is assisting in the process.  My thanks to everyone who has agreed to serve on the committee (full membership listed below). I very much appreciate your willingness to participate in this important task.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Rob Briber for his outstanding leadership as Interim Dean. We go into this search process stronger and better connected than ever before, thanks to Rob’s excellent work. I am deeply grateful to Rob for all he has done for the school and the University since taking over in April of this last year.

We ask for a concerted effort by the entire Clark School community, working with members of the search committee, to identify candidates for dean who can build on the strengths of the School and lead it to even greater achievements. The successful candidate will provide leadership and vision for the School; continue to encourage effective collaborative relationships; articulate with enthusiasm the School’s mission to students, faculty, staff, alumni, public agencies, and potential funders; and foster an environment of excellence in teaching and learning.

You can assist in the search process by using your personal contacts and network to identify outstanding candidates for the position and to make the opportunity widely known. Please forward to any committee member or to the search firm representatives the names of individuals you believe would be excellent candidates.  We appreciate your assistance and support of this important effort.

Confidential inquiries can be sent to Vijay Saraswat and nominations can be made online.

Dean Search Committee Membership for the A. James Clark School of Engineering

  • Amitabh Varshney, Chair, Dean of CMNS
  • Bryce Bathras, Undergraduate Student, Fire Protection Engineering
  • Michelle (Shelby) Bensi, Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
  • Leslie Borak, Assistant Dean for Development, Clark School/University Relations
  • Kevin Calabro, Senior Lecturer and Director, Keystone Program, Clark School
  • Yanne Chembo, Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering/IREAP
  • Christina Conrad, Graduate Student, Bioengineering
  • John Cumings, Associate Professor, Materials Science & Engineering
  • Carol Espy-Wilson, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering/ISR
  • Steve Fetter, Associate Provost and Dean, Graduate School
  • Joseph JaJa, Interim Chair and Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
  • Dongxia Liu, Associate Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
  • Maureen Meyer, Senior Assistant Dean, Clark School
  • Jenny Regan, Chair, Clark School Board of Visitors
  • Giuliano Scarcelli, Associate Professor, Bioengineering
  • Elisabeth Smela, Professor, Mechanical Engineering/ISR
  • Ellen Williams, Distinguished University Professor, Physics/ESSIC
  • Huan (Mumu) Xu, Associate Professor, Aerospace Engineering

Sincerely,

Mary Ann Rankin
Senior Vice President and Provost

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Published February 15, 2021