U.S. Steel Dean, Swanson School of Engineering

The University of Pittsburgh invites applications and nominations for the position of U.S. Steel Dean of the Swanson School of Engineering, who will advance the mission and reputation of the School in the United States and around the world. The next Dean will accelerate the Swanson School’s prominence in engineering excellence by building on key collaborations with the UPMC Health System, partnering with national and global academic institutions, supporting outstanding faculty, staff, and students, and embracing the dynamic growth of industry in Pittsburgh and the region.

 

The Swanson School of Engineering has 178 full-time faculty, 118 staff, nearly 3,000 undergraduate students, and over 900 graduate students. The School is comprised of six departments: Bioengineering, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. The Departments of Bioengineering and Industrial Engineering are ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News and World Report. Diversity is ingrained in the very structure of the Swanson School through the Engineering Office of Diversity, established nearly two decades ago. The Associate Dean for Diversity leads efforts to support graduate and undergraduate students within the School, as well as high school students in the greater Pittsburgh area. The Swanson School is home to innovative programs for faculty, students, and the community, which support its mission to produce highly qualified engineers and useful, creative research and technology through academic excellence.

 

The Swanson School excels in basic and applied research and is on the forefront of technology in several important areas, including energy systems, sustainability, biomedical engineering, nano-engineering, computational modeling, advanced manufacturing, and engineering materials development. Researchers in all six departments are working on studies and solutions for a broad spectrum of grand-challenge, big-data applications, in terms of novel algorithms, architectures, systems, tools, and insight. This is also an area of emphasis for Pitt, as evidenced by the establishment of the School of Computing and Information in 2017. Research expenditures in FY2016-17 were almost $30.9 million, and over $80 million when including interdisciplinary research. Over the same period, NSF research expenditures were $9.1 million and NIH expenditures were $7.8 million.

 

The University of Pittsburgh (“Pitt”) is ranked among the top 25 U.S. public universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and 39th in Thomson Reuters' list of the world's 100 most innovative universities. Pitt is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, and is one of the top ten most active universities in terms of federally funded research. The University is composed of 16 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges, including nationally recognized schools of health sciences, engineering, law, and business, as well as four regional campuses.

 

The U.S. Steel Dean of the Swanson School of Engineering reports to the Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor. The Dean will provide visionary leadership to continue to build the School’s national and international reputation while fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. The Dean will play a key leadership role in advancing the mission, operations, and service of the School, with responsibility for personnel, budget, general administration and management, and academic and development functions.

 

The ideal candidate will be a visionary builder with an entrepreneurial spirit and experience creating, growing, and expanding an organization or entity. S/he will have an established record of effective, inclusive, and collaborative leadership, and demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence and the mission of a global public research university. The next Dean will be an innovative and creative problem-solver, with a willingness to take appropriate risks and make timely and difficult decisions. S/he will have demonstrated success in promoting, fostering and conducting funded research, with a distinguished record of achievement and professional credentials consistent with appointment at the rank of full professor. A PhD degree is required.

 

Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited. Interested candidates should submit confidentially, in electronic form (Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF files preferred), a curriculum vitae and letter of interest to:

 

Dr. Jett Pihakis

Pitt.Swanson@russellreynolds.com

(202) 654-7800

 

or

 

Ms. Stephanie Fujii

Pitt.Swanson@russellreynolds.com

 (415) 352-3300

 

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity and diversity. EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled.