Dear Colleagues:
I am pleased to announce that Jonathan Spanier, associate dean of the College of Engineering and professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, will serve as interim department head, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics (MEM), effective Nov. 1, 2018.
Dr. Spanier will remain in this capacity until a permanent department head is in place.
With gratitude for his willingness to take on this additional role, I would like to emphasize Dr. Spanier’s academic administrative experience as director of the University’s Centralized Research Facilities from 2011 to 2017, and as associate dean from 2016 to the present. He formerly served as interim associate department head, MSE, and he led development of the College’s 2013-2018 Strategic Development Plan.
In addition to his professorship in MSE, Dr. Spanier holds affiliated faculty appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and in the Department of Physics, College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Spanier’s commitment to fundamental and applied research echoes through his accomplishments investigating the structure and physical, electronic, and dielectric properties of emergent solid state electronic materials. He values excellence in teaching and is committed to enhancing the diversity of our College community.
A search committee for the permanent MEM head will be chaired by Michele Marcolongo, professor and department head, MSE. Committee members include: Alan Lau, professor, MEM; Nicholas Cernansky, professor, MEM; Caroline Schauer, associate dean, and professor, MSE; Ying Sun, associate professor, MEM; James Tangorra, associate professor, MEM; and Leslie Lamberson, associate professor, MEM. I greatly appreciate their willingness to step forward and contribute their time and energy to this important matter.
Please join me in supporting Dr. Spanier as he guides the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics through this transition phase to what I am quite sure will be a robust future for MEM and for the College as a whole.
Sincere best wishes,
