Unprecedented faculty growth

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Over the next five years The Ohio State College of Engineering will grow to almost 350 tenure-track faculty, a 20 percent increase over our current numbers.

In 2015 and 2016, the college recruited more than 70 new faculty members—the latest cohort its most inclusive ever, with women, African Americans and other diverse faculty accounting for 54 percent of the hires. This achievement greatly supports the college’s goal of growing a robust, diverse and integrated community.

“Preparing the next generation of leaders in engineering and architecture requires top-notch educators, which is why we have continued to prioritize investing in our faculty,” said David B. Williams, College of Engineering dean and Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean’s Chair. “As our student enrollment continues to climb, our number of faculty must also increase if we want to successfully recruit, retain, educate and graduate the university's finest and most highly-qualified student body.”

These positive trends will continue in 2017 as the college prepares to recruit 50 new faculty, including 26 assistant professors, 13 associate professors and 11 full professorships, three of which are endowed chairs. More than 20 of these searches will be supported by the university’s Discovery Themes program—an initiative which leverages Ohio State’s special strengths to address the technological, social and environmental stresses that define our world today.

Over the next 10 years, investment focused on Ohio State Discovery Themes (Health and Wellness, Energy and Environment, and Food Production and Security) will attract new tenured/tenure-track faculty working in these areas.

The college also aims to sustain research programs that are high impact and relevant to the technological needs of society. Recruiting classes over the past two years have been infused with talent and expertise to address the technological challenges of our time—advanced mobility, agile manufacturing and advanced materials, data analytics, and engineering for human health.

“Because Ohio State is a comprehensive research university, those whose research defines the ‘cutting edge’ are also instructors of students,” noted Rudolph G. Buchheit, associate dean of academic affairs and administration. “With these faculty recruiting cohorts, we can put expertise at the front of the classroom every day and teach our students about current technological problems and insightful approaches to address them.”

With a continued focus on hiring the highest caliber faculty possible, the College of Engineering is well positioned to achieve its goal of providing a world-class education to the next wave of innovators and problem-solvers.

“There are many qualities that set Ohio State Engineering apart from other institutions,” said Buchheit. “But one of our key differentiators is the quality of our people—our students, staff and faculty, and a supportive environment that fosters discovery, learning and engagement. Our future is very bright.”

Category: College