Dean's Corner - Innovations Summer 2011

Dean’s Corner

Dear Friends,

These are transformative times for our School, bringing tremendous opportunities mixed with unprecedented budget challenges.    The progressively deteriorating State support for the UC system, translating into draconian cuts for the Samueli School, is a clear sign that we need to quickly change the way we do things to become more self-sufficient.  We have set the goal of doubling our extramural research funding, and we are working aggressively on establishing new multi-million dollar research centers, which will boost the size, visibility and breadth of our research enterprise.    We are constantly seeking new efficiencies to optimize the productivity of our faculty and staff.  We are forging relationships with universities abroad to significantly increase the number of foreign undergraduate and graduate students, bringing not only financial benefits but also a welcome enrichment of our cultural environment.   The silver lining of the budget situation is that it is accelerating our transformation into an innovative, agile and self-reliant organization, always committed to the highest quality in engineering education and research.  But there is no question that these are painful times for the School: our faculty and staff are asked to do more with less, and our students are facing rapidly rising costs of tuition and fees.

Through this period of adversity, I am proud that we have made some significant accomplishments over the last six months.  We completed the hiring of eight outstanding assistant professors who will bring new strengths across the entire School; we are processing a record number of applications for our undergraduate and graduate programs, an indication of our rising reputation; and we are planning for a freshman Introduction to Engineering course - the first major step in undergraduate curriculum reform.  These accomplishments are a testament to the quality, dedication and hard work of our faculty and staff.  And we would not have been as successful without our affiliates’ generosity, guidance and commitment to the School.

I am honored to be given the opportunity of providing the leadership to continue moving the School forward.   I am confident that the Samueli School will emerge through these turbulent times stronger than ever.  

 

Dimitri Papamoschou, Ph.D.

Interim Dean and Professor

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering

University of California, Irvine