A Virginia Tech search committee working to find the Virginia Tech College of Engineering dean has selected three finalists to visit campus. Richard Benson had announced that he was leaving the university to become president of the University of Texas at Dallas.

As part of the interview and selection process for the next dean, Executive Vice President and Provost Thanassis Rikakis invites the campus community to meet the candidates selected for campus interviews. University and community members are invited to attend each candidate’s open forum presentation on “The Future of Engineering and Technology: Visionary Opportunities for the Virginia Tech College of Engineering.”

The open forum presentations will also be broadcast live online for remote participants, and recordings of the sessions will be available online following each. Each candidate's curriculum vitae and survey links to provide feedback will be posted on the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost website in advance of each visit date. The search committee encourages all campus and community members to submit feedback via the online surveys.

Nov. 2-3 – Julia Ross

Julia Ross is dean of engineering and information technology at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she is also the Constellation Professor of Information Technology and Engineering and a professor of chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering. In addition to serving as dean, she served as chair of chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering for seven years, has supported inter-institutional research initiatives as a special assistant to the provost, and spent a year as a Fellow with the American Council on Education. She holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Rice University.

  • Open Forum Presentation: Nov. 2  3:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Reception to follow) 
  • Location: Old Dominion Ballroom, Squires Student Center

Nov. 17-18 – Vigor Yang

Vigor Yang is William R. T. Oakes Professor and Chair of the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Previously, he also served as a Distinguished Professor and John L. and Genevieve H. McCain Chair in Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. A member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, he has also been recognized with numerous scholarly awards and honors. He holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and jet propulsion from California Institute of Technology.

  • Open Forum Presentation: Nov. 17  3:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Reception to follow)
  • Location: Old Dominion Ballroom, Squires Student Center

Nov. 29-30 – Venkataramanan “Ragu” Balakrishnan

Venkataramanan “Ragu” Balakrishnan is the Michael and Katherine Birck Head of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. Prior to his current role, he has also served as the associate dean for research in Purdue’s College of Engineering, as well as associate head for education and assistant head for strategic initiatives and director of graduate admissions, both in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University. He holds master’s degrees in statistics and electrical engineering, as well as a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, all from Stanford University.

  • Open Forum Presentation: Nov. 29  3:30 – 4:30 p.m. (Reception to follow)
  • Location: The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center, Latham Ballroom A

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