Committee Appointed to Search for New Engineering Dean

A committee has been formed to find a new dean for the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. 

The group will identify and recruit candidates and ultimately recommend a list of qualified candidates to succeed Dr. Bob Helms.  Helms announced in September that he would return to the school’s faculty as a professor in September 2008, after five years as dean. 

Dr. Bruce Gnade, vice president for research, will chair the committee, which was assembled under the direction of Dr. Hobson Wildenthal, the executive vice president and provost of the University.

Among other duties, the team will:

• Approve a position description and job advertisement.
• Determine the feasibility of using a professional executive search firm.
• Conduct individual research to identify prospective candidates. 
• Encourage qualified candidates to apply, and engage actively in the recruiting process.

Later, the committee will hold formal meetings to identify the most promising candidates and conduct off-campus interviews to select finalists who will go through the on-campus interview process. 

Other committee members include:

• Naofal Al-Dhahir, associate professor, electrical engineering.
• Andrea Fumagalli, professor, electrical engineering.
• John Hansen, department head, electrical engineering.
• Sanda Harabagiu, associate professor, computer science.
• D. T. Huynh, department head, computer science.
• Lawrence Overzet, professor, electrical engineering.
• Bhavani Thuraisingham, professor, computer science.
• S.Q. Zheng, professor, computer science.
• Magaly Spector, vice president for diversity and community engagement.
• Brian Berry, dean, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences.
• Jason Harris, undergraduate student, electrical engineering.
• Murray Leaf, speaker, Faculty Senate.
• Katie Moreland, graduate student, computer science.
• Martin J. Izzard, director of the DSP Solutions R&D Center, Texas Instruments Inc.
• James Von Ehr, chairman, UT Dallas Development Board, CEO, Zyvex Corp.

Just 20 years old, the Jonsson School has enjoyed remarkable success, which is reflected in the school’s growing stature in rankings and ratings nationally.

Under Helms’ leadership, a massive economic development project called Project Emmitt was born.  The project has added significantly to the luster of the University and the School.  Helms also conceived the idea for the recently opened Natural Science and Engineering Research Laboratory.  He has been instrumental in the recruitment of outstanding faculty and staff and helped lead the School to become fourth-ranked in the state, according to the most recently published U.S. News and World Report survey, and the top-ranked engineering school in North Texas according to that same publication.