Pablo Debenedetti, Class of 1950 professor in engineering and applied science and acting chair of the department of chemical engineering, has been appointed to the newly created position of vice dean of engineering and applied science.
The new position will unify the responsibilities of the associate dean for administration and the associate dean for academic affairs, said Vincent Poor GS ’77, dean of the engineering school.
There is a “need to have a person in the dean’s office who could look at all things as a senior faculty member and take things done in the school [of engineering] to a level that somehow parallels types of things done [in the University],” Poor explained.
Debenedetti was a good choice because of his research experience and his relationships with engineering faculty at institutions around the world, Poor said.
The duties of the vice dean of engineering and applied science will include the allocation of research resources, the distribution of space and other faculty issues, the facilitation of international initiatives, including “meaningful exchanges in research and for students,” and the promotion of industrial collaboration with research programs within the school, Debenedetti said.
Debenedetti’s colleagues agree that he is a wise choice for the appointment.
He is a “phenomenal teacher, scholar and leader,” former associate dean for academic affairs and current chemical engineering professor Sankaran Sundaresan said.
“[It is] good news for the school of engineering for someone of his energy and stature to come and do this service work,” Sundaresan added.
Debenedetti is “very talented in many things and ... will do a good job,” said James Wei, a professor in the chemical engineering department.
“Professor Debenedetti is one of the university’s most distinguished engineers.
In addition, he was a stellar chair of the department of chemical engineering, and thus combines a strong scientific vision with administrative ability,” President Tilghman said in an e-mail.
“He will be a great asset to the engineering school and to Dean Poor as vice dean, overseeing most aspects of the academic work of the departments.”
Some minor staff changes will take place within the school of engineering because this new position will merge two previous positions into one, Poor said.
The “current structure in the school has been static for a number of years,” so the creation of the new position, along with some other initiatives, are part of the engineering school’s attempt to reform its structure, Poor explained.
Poor detailed the staff changes in a letter to engineering school staff.
The associate dean for academic affairs’ duties will be allotted to Sharad Malik, the current director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering Education (CIEE).
Dale Grieb, manager and special projects in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS); Bob Kennedy, SEAS safety manager; and Linda Geraci, manager and finance and administration in SEAS, will assist Debenedetti. Kennedy and Geraci will keep their current responsibilities and Dale will spend more time on “project management compliance, and related matters, within the school,” Poor wrote in the letter.
Victoria Dorman, SEAS academic affairs manager, and Stephanie Landers, program assistant in SEAS, will become full-time of employees of CIEE.
Debenedetti’s term as vice dean of engineering and applied science begins July 1.
He will turn over his responsibilities in the department to incoming chair Richard Register.
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