4-Year Retrospective

Dean David B. Williams, Self-Assessment 2011-2015

The information provided below outlines the responsibilities, challenges and accomplishments that have taken place in the last four years while I’ve served as Dean of the College of Engineering (CoE). It has been a time of great transformation and opportunity within a college that remains a cornerstone of The Ohio State University.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Lead >800 faculty and staff and >10,000 students; responsible for $227M budget
  • Set mission, vision and goals: implement strategic plan of the College of Engineering (CoE)
  • Develop personal relationships with key alumni, donors and government officials and private sector leaders
  • Grow long-term partnerships with major CoE industry partners
  • Build advancement team to exceed $350M CoE campaign goal by 2016
  • Raise awareness and increase involvement of CoE within university and externally

STRATEGIC PLAN AND PROGRESS

This document follows the college’s strategic plan that was completed in 2011, simplified in 2014 and aligned with the university’s plan.

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A sound budget is key to our strategic plan: we are committed to resource stewardship

  • Developed decadal goals and milestones for education, research and outreach
  • Positioned CoE for maximum leverage of Ohio State’s $300M Discovery Theme investments
  • Invested in revenue-producing areas: research, advancement and professional programs

The CoE budget is fiscally sound with resources to move strategically. Between 2011 and 2015, expenditures grew from $203M to $227M; general funds grew from $84M to $105M

CoE enacted several key budget efficiencies:

  • Centralized previously dispersed CoE business operations and reinvested savings in units
  • Established three key leadership positions and redefined roles; 1) Chief Advancement Officer combined alumni affairs, communications, and development; 2) Chief Information Officer is developing a strategic plan and consolidating key IT functions; and 3) Chief Diversity Officer is consolidating diversity, inclusion and outreach operations
  • Together with VP Research, centralized college research/project management functions

Overall Strategic Objective

Restore upward movement of the college in the USNWR graduate rankings and maintain upward movement in the undergraduate rankings.  From 2012-2015:

  • Undergraduate (public) ranking improved from 16 to 15, overall ranking rose from 27 to 26
  • Graduate (public) ranking fell from 17 to 18; overall ranking lowered from 30 to 32

Education and Career Development

Strategic goal #1: Build on our strength in experiential learning to establish national leadership. To facilitate this goal, from 2011-15:

  • Managed unprecedented growth of undergraduate student body, maintaining maximum accessibility while increasing quality and managing increased faculty/student ratios
  • CoE tenure-track faculty increased by 4% from 272 to 283 (growing to >310 in 2016-17)
  • Total faculty hires grew by more than 100; clinical and research faculty increased from 14 to 36
  • Two faculty elected to National Academy of Engineering; 15 obtained NSF CAREER awards
  • Conducting 30-35 faculty searches year-on-year; adding 25 Discovery Theme hires
  • Multidisciplinary Engineering Capstone Program supported 110 industry-sponsored projects by over 400 students

Strategic goal #2: Extend the scope and enhance the impact of our educational programs through use of technology and distance learning. We have:

  • CoE’s first on-line MS in Global Engineering Leadership (MGEL) now in USNWR top 25
  • Two non-credit/certificate programs now operating and generating revenue
  • Five new non-credit/certificate programs in planning stages: 1) Data Analytics; 2) Smart Power Engineering; 3) Reliability Engineering Certificate; 4) Airport Management, Planning, and Design; and 5) Data Analytics certificate program followed by professional master’s degree

Strategic goal #3: Transform the Engineering Education Innovation Center (EEIC) to a formal administrative unit (Department of Engineering Education (DEE)) within the college. In 2014-15:

  • National leaders reviewed EEIC; in May 2015 CoE faculty unanimously voted to create DEE, which is now under consideration at OAA. An offer is out to a prospective DEE Chair.

Civil engineering major Ben Aring discusses the mounting system that holds the solar panels with a Haitian electrical engineer.


Strategic goal #4: Partner across the university to bring forward new academic programs. We have:

Growth in engineering education from 2011-2015:

  • Undergraduate enrollment up 27%
  • Doctoral enrollment up 20%, with PhDs granted up 39%
  • International undergraduate enrollment up 74%
  • Total financial aid (federal, state, university/college) increased 43%, from $49M to $70M
  • Total degrees awarded annually (BS, MS, PhD) up 44%
  • Over 50 students have participated in CoE Global Option
  • Over 200 CoE students have studied abroad
  • The number of international programs increased from two to nine in the last two years
  • 20 international internships now available; in 2011 there were zero opportunities
  • Five international dual-degree programs now available, up from zero four years ago

Research

Strategic goal #5: Adapt to fundamental changes in federal funding so as to ensure stability of CoE’s long-term research expenditure growth and the relevance and impact of its research programs.

  • CoE established a $148M partnership, American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (renamed LIFT), with University of Michigan and EWI to develop advanced lightweight manufacturing materials – the largest research award in CoE history
  • Partnered in an NSF MRSEC led by Arts & Science College; renewed for $18M over 6 years
  • CoE awarded its first USDOT University Transportation Center (UTC), The Crash Imminent Safety UTC, involving >20 faculty and researchers across five universities
  • Ohio State/CoE is co-lead on the FAA University Center of Excellence in General Aviation
  • CoE is part of the FAA’s Center of Excellence for UAS led by Mississippi State
  • Research expenditures maintained at ~$120M/year, totaling $480M over four years
  • Over the last four years, federal funding increased by 43%, industry funding (mainly TRC) decreased by 30% and state funding is static; other sources have decreased slightly
  • Despite no increase in total expenditures, MS and PhD degrees continuously increased (over last four years, MS enrollment up 5%, with Doctoral enrollment up 20%)

Strategic goal #6: Develop and stabilize emerging interdisciplinary research institutes and centers aligned with university and college strategic research growth areas.

  • Six interdisciplinary research centers/institutes created in the last 4 years: 
    • Center for Aviation Studies (CAS)
    • Aerospace Research Center (ARC)
    • Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME)
    • Center for Electron Microscopy and Analysis (CEMAS)
    • Simulation Innovation & Modeling (SIM) Center
    • Spine Research Institute (SRI)
  • In addition, key industry partnerships established and/or further developed:
    • Master Research Agreements with Honda, GE, and Boeing provide the companies with predictable, cost-contained, IP terms to take university’s research into their product lines
    • The Honda agreement (2012) led to an increase of >$500k/yr in research funding and resulted in a $5M gift to establish the SIMCenter
    • Ohio State selected for a major GE-university partnership in ceramic matrix composites
    • A $2M gift from NetJets helped establish the Center for Aviation Studies and expand research; another $1M given by NetJets in 2015
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Strategic goal #7: Establish a proposal center to enhance success in winning large scale funding.

 
  • CoE partnered with Office of Vice President for Research to create a Proposal Development Center in May 2015; the Center is led by Dr. Ruth Ann Hendrickson, who formerly headed Battelle’s Proposal Center
    • The Proposal Center’s staff, many co-funded by CoE and OVPR includes: Marty Kress (internal and Ohio-based strategic initiatives); Ron Kurjanowicz (Washington DC/federal strategic initiatives); Carla Bailo (mobility business research initiatives); Amul Tevar (joint appointment with Battelle’s Energy, Environment and Materials), Mike Benzakein (aerospace business research development) and Nadeane Howard (proposal development)

Faculty and Facilities

Strategic goal #8: Capitalize fully on the Discovery Themes initiatives to grow the college faculty and develop formal linkages across the university through joint appointments and joint initiatives.

  • Playing leading roles in Data Analytics and Energy & Environment; support roles in Health & Wellness, and Food Production & Security; 25 faculty searches approved across all DTs

Strategic goal #9: Modernize facilities to support the college’s research and education missions.

  • From 2011-15, we have created new research facilities, with several more planned:
    • Completed construction of ESL (2012), CEMAS (2014) and CBEC (2015) facilities
    • Renovated area 2000 for CDME (2015) and Smith Lab for Advancement and Research/IT
    • Received $10M Knowlton Foundation grant to upgrade and modernize the OSU airport terminal and educational facilities
    • CAR/CDME building in university infrastructure plan
    • Watts/McQuigg/Fontana complex in university infrastructure plan for Materials Corridor

Diversity and Outreach

Strategic goal #10: Change the culture and climate within the college by recruiting and retention strategies that grow robust, diverse and integrated communities of faculty, staff and students.

  • Restructuring Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Outreach under new leadership (Donnie Perkins). Developing new strategic plan to accelerate improvement:
    • Undergraduate female engineering students increased by 51% in last four years
    • Doctoral female engineering students increased by 17% in last four years
    • Female engineering degrees up 81% in last four years
    • Undergraduate under-represented minority (URM) students increased by 14% in last four years
    • URM degrees up 55%, Doctoral URM students up 60% in last four years
    • Faculty diversity hiring averaged 27% (20/74) over last four years
    • Integrated diversity training and hiring practices for all CoE leadership
    • Brought increased diversity (of gender, race and LGBT) to CoE leadership
  • Outreach
    WiE Grow 2011
    • Integrated industry relations: Career Services (under Assoc. Dean for Undergraduate Education), Industry Liaison (Assoc. Dean for Research) and Corporate and Foundation Relations (Advancement) aligned to ensure consistent messaging to industry partners
    • Rebuilding Honda/Transportation Research Center/Ohio State partnerships with new leadership in all three organizations.
    • Expansion and launch of youth and community engagement programs to develop interest in CoE at all levels – STEM Summer Camp, Engineer for a Day, WiE RISE program, Engineering Summer Experience and Engineering Ambassadors

Advancement

Strategic goal #11: Exceed the college’s “But for Ohio State” fundraising goal of $350M.

  • Total campaign giving: $334M (second to Cancer Center at ~$342M)
  • Increased annual fundraising from ~$40M/year (2006-10) to ~$56M/year (2011-15)
  • Koffolt labs campaign nearly complete; $10M Knowlton Foundation grant for The Ohio State University Airport

CHALLENGES

  • Managing increased undergraduate enrollment to limits of teaching quality and space
  • Managing the very large (currently ~33:1) student/tenured faculty ratio
  • Improving the diversity of student body as admissions standards rise
  • Improving recruitment of NAE-quality faculty; fostering increase in CoE Academy membership
  • Need to increase research expenditures/faculty and PhD students/faculty
  • Improving external perceptions of the quality of CoE by peer institutions and employers
  • Increasing the percentage of alumni actively engaged and giving to the college
  • Growing number of faculty who use e-teaching and teach professional/certificate programs
  • Fully developing Don Scott Field and TRC to grow research and economic development
  • Integrating data analytics into all decision-making

EXTERNAL SERVICE

  • Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Technology Committee, 2015-present
  • American Lightweight Metals Manufacturing Innovation Institute (now LIFT) Board, 2014-present
  • The Ohio Aerospace Institute Board, 2011-2014
  • EWI (former Edison Welding Institute) Board, 2013-present
  • Ohio Third Frontier (early stage business investments) Advisory Board, 2013-present
  • Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Council, 2012-present
  • Columbus 2020 (central Ohio economic development) Board, 2011-present
  • Chair of the Corporation and CEO, Transportation Research Center, Inc., 2011-present
  • Metro Early College STEM Middle/High School Board, 2011-present (Chair 2012-2014)

UNIVERSITY SERVICE

  • Executive Dean of the 7 Professional Colleges (2012-present)
  • University representative supporting Ohio’s Federal Military Jobs Commission (2015)
  • University representative to The Business Higher Education Forum (2014-present)
  • University representative to The Council on Competitiveness (2012- present)
  • President’s Council, 2012-13, Senior Management Council (2012-present)
  • Deans’ Council (2011- present)
  • Ohio Engineering Dean’s Council (2011-present)
  • Search committee chair for Dean of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (2012)
  • Search committee for Dean of Fisher College of Business (2014)

PERSONAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS (2011-present)

  • Invited seminars at Ohio State, Case Western, UCSB, LBL, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Notre Dame. 12 invited presentations at national and international conferences
  • Google Scholar H index 40, Research Gate Score 40
  • Text: TEM: Diffraction, Imaging & Spectrometry, with CB Carter, Springer (in galleys) 2015

Service

  • Trustee, ASM International, 2014-2017
  • AAAS Engineering Nominations Council 2014-17
  • Member, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2014
  • NRC review Panel for NIST Material Measurement Laboratory, 2014
  • ASEE, Deans’ Council, 2011-present; Public Policy Committee, 2014-2017
  • Advisory Committee, Japan-US bi-annual conference on Atomic-Level Characterization

Recognition

  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Award, 2015
  • Honorary Life Membership, The US Microbeam Analysis Society, 2014
  • Charles S. Barrett Silver Medal, ASM Rocky Mountain Chapter, 2014
  • Alpha Sigma Mu Honorary Lecture, MS&T 100th anniversary meeting, 2013
  • Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2012
  • Honorary Life Membership, The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 2012
  • Henry Clifton Sorby Award of The International Metallographic Society, 2011

Over the last four years, CoE has strived to seize opportunities, build upon our strengths, recognize areas of improvement and maximize our resources to the benefit of those we serve. In the years ahead, we will continue to develop the programs, talent and infrastructure necessary to address the demands of research and education in an advanced, technology-driven and dynamic environment.