LETTER FROM THE DEAN
After too long apart, it has been wonderful to return to campus, with students filling our halls and classrooms, face-to-face instruction and a record university enrollment of more than 29,000. It feels great to be back!
We began the academic year with the excellent news that the College of Engineering rose six spots in the U.S. News and World Report ranking, tying for 96th nationally among public and private institutions. Among public schools, the College of Engineering improved by five spots, rising to 60th. The university continues to be among the nation’s top public universities, with a ranking of 78th.
Back on campus, we’ve rolled up our sleeves to undertake a process of refining the college’s strategic plan and setting our course for the
next five years. That plan will guide us as we work toward our ultimate goal of becoming the premier engineering college in the region.
It’s an exciting time to be at the university, considering the great confidence we share for our campus-level leadership in Interim Chancellor Charles Robinson and Interim Provost Terry Martin. I would also call your attention to new leadership within the College of Engineering, with Kevin Hall in his new role as associate dean for academics, Heather Nachtmann returning to her role as associate dean for research and Keisha Walters as head of the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering.
It’s not possible to detail all of the research and achievements that have taken place in the past year at the College of Engineering, so please consider this publication an executive summary of our work. Some highlights include the recent announcement of a $10.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health that will enable an interdisciplinary research team from the University of Arkansas and UAMS to address the role of cell and tissue metabolism in diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity and mitochondrial disorders.
Another notable achievement is the establishment of the Grady E. Harvell Civil Engineering Research and Education Center, or CEREC, which opened in July 2021. The 37,400-square-foot state of the art facility will provide space for 15 faculty members and 75 students to conduct research on a large scale.
Also, learn about the research of Shannon Servoss, associate professor of chemical engineering, whose innovations in peptoidbased biomimetic materials led to development of a rapid test kit for COVID-19 antibodies that received federal emergency use authorization in spring 2021.
I hope you enjoy this latest edition of the Arkansas Engineer.
Kim LaScola Needy,
Dean
College of Engineering