MEMS department chair search

Opening for chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Position description

Washington University in St. Louis and the McKelvey School of Engineering seek an ambitious, collaborative and strategic leader to serve as the next chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS). In addition to providing strategic direction to the department as chair, this individual will possess a level of eminence within their field of study and will be appointed as a tenured professor within the department.

MEMS focuses on fundamental mechanical engineering and materials science at the interfaces between traditional disciplines:

• Where mechanics converges with biology, specifically the study of the mechanical behavior and properties of biological systems, as well as the effects of the mechanical environment on biological systems.
• Where materials science and engineering converge with nanotechnology, specifically the combination of novel synthesis strategies, advanced characterization techniques, computational tools and data science methods to investigate the relationship between a material's structure, the way it is manufactured and the properties it exhibits.
• Where fluid and thermal systems converge with the science of energy and manufacturing, specifically the application of the principles of thermal fluids to develop solutions for renewable energy, energy storage and harvesting, electronics cooling, and efficient, safe and sustainable transportation.

The department has 20 tenured/tenure-track faculty currently and an additional 11 full-time teaching faculty. The faculty contribute to WashU’s and McKelvey’s strengths at the intersection of engineering and medicine, in environmental and climate solutions, and in biomanufacturing and the bioeconomy. MEMS faculty collaborate extensively with McKelvey’s Department of Biomedical Engineering; with McKelvey’s Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering; with WashU’s School of Medicine, ranked No. 2 in NIH funding for biomedical research; and with the Institute of Materials Science & Engineering (IMSE).

IMSE brings together more than 150 faculty and student researchers from engineering; physics; chemistry; earth, environmental and planetary sciences; and the medical school. IMSE offers an interdisciplinary doctoral program in Materials Science & Engineering that is anchored in McKelvey but allows students to pursue coursework in multiple departments and conduct research through interdisciplinary teams. IMSE has more than 12,000 sq. ft. of space that includes a cleanroom and shared instrumentation for microfabrication, nanofabrication and materials characterization.

MEMS has approximately 400 undergraduate students, 200 master’s students and 75 doctoral students. The department awards a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, as well as a Master of Science and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. MEMS faculty also advise doctoral students in Materials Science and Engineering through the interdisciplinary Institute for Materials Science and Engineering (IMSE). Currently, MEMS has more than 5,500 alumni living around the world. In FY24, MEMS faculty generated more than $11.8 million in research awards. The MEMS department is housed in the state-of-the-art Henry A. and Elvira H. Jubel Hall, a building of more than 80,000 sq. ft. that opened in 2019.

The School

The McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis promotes independent inquiry and education with an emphasis on scientific excellence, innovation and collaboration without boundaries. McKelvey Engineering has top-ranked research and graduate programs across departments and has one of the most selective undergraduate programs in the country. With 165 full-time faculty, 1,525 undergraduate students, 1,600 graduate students, and over 21,000 living alumni, the school is well-positioned to design solutions to some of society’s greatest challenges; to prepare students to become leaders and innovate throughout their careers; and to be a catalyst of economic development for the St.
Louis region and beyond.

The McKelvey School of Engineering is led by Dean Aaron Bobick, who joined Washington University in St. Louis in 2015. Dean Bobick also serves as the James M. McKelvey Professor. Prior to Washington University, he was a professor and founding chair of the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he was a member of the faculty since 1999. Under his leadership at McKelvey, annual sponsored research has grown from $27M/year to $70M/year in FY24. The school has secured Washington University’s first ARPA-H grant and was just recently awarded an NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC).

The Position

Serving as the executive officer of the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, the chair reports directly to the Dean of the McKelvey School of Engineering. The department chair is expected to serve for an initial term of five years, with the opportunity for reappointment. The department chair is expected to be a role model and leader in all matters of department policy, structure and function including strategic planning, appointments, promotions, instruction, mentorship, research and administration. The department chair must be an accomplished researcher and educator; they will be expected to conduct research, publish in peer-reviewed journals, teach relevant courses, advise students and participate in university service. In addition, the department chair should be a dynamic leader that can bring faculty together as they pursue common goals from different perspectives; they will be expected to cultivate a supportive, collegial and safe environment for all faculty, staff and students.

The chair will work with and inspire the MEMS faculty, staff and students to fulfill the following objectives:

• Sustain a shared vision and identify new opportunities: MEMS faculty are highly collaborative and eager to work with the chair to continue to define innovative research at the intersection of the department’s disciplines in order to grow its profile and impact.
• Provide leadership for critical academic decisions: The chair will be asked to provide leadership for and build consensus around critical academic issues, including faculty hiring within the department, the nature and extent of interdisciplinary programs, the configuration of curricular offerings, and enrollment across academic areas.
• Provide leadership for undergraduate education: Washington University has invested for over two decades in improving the co-curricular and life experience of undergraduates. The chair is expected to sustain and augment existing efforts to provide students with an academic experience of the highest caliber.
• Foster excellence in graduate education: The chair should work with the faculty to support and nurture graduate and doctoral programs of the greatest national and international distinction with transformational research outcomes.
• Manage resources to ensure a strong financial future: The chair must continue to manage resources wisely, maintaining sound budgetary controls and principled resource allocation.
• Foster diversity, equity and inclusion: Diversity is key to academic innovation and institutional strength. The chair will need to foster and sustain efforts to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion amongst faculty, staff and students in step with the university mission, working in concert with the McKelvey EDI Committee.
• Increase resources through fundraising: Fundraising at Washington University has historically been highly centralized. With new university leadership and new leadership in the development office, department chairs may play an increasing role in fundraising.
• Build collaboration across units: There continue to be important opportunities for collaboration across the departments within the McKelvey School of Engineering, amongst other schools within the university including the School of Medicine and the School of Arts & Sciences; the chair should foster curiosity and dialogue throughout the campus community, strengthen existing collaborations, seek out new opportunities and facilitate their exploration and establishment, effectively leveraging the excellence in the university’s other schools.

The Individual

Preferred candidates will have the following professional qualifications and personal characteristics:

• Academic stature: Distinguished academic accomplishments, commensurate with appointment at the rank of professor, and appropriate to the leadership of a department with a tradition of excellence in research, teaching and service;
• Academic leadership: Proven ability in fostering continued excellence of research and educational programs, and demonstrated commitment to mentorship and collegiality;
• Collaborative skill: Experience in catalyzing collaborations, bringing people and entities together, creating synergies within and across collaborations;
• Financial acumen: Experience in financial management of budgets involving personnel, facilities and programmatic resources;
• Effective communication: Accessibility and the ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Strong candidates will have earned a doctorate and be internationally recognized for research excellence, leadership and scholarship in an area of mechanical engineering, material science or other relevant fields. They should have a compelling vision for the future and integration of diverse disciplines, be able to lead and advance a research-oriented department, have a dedication to education, and have a demonstrated commitment to mentoring faculty and staff. Ideal candidates will have developed a thriving independent research program, led successful research collaborations, participated in the development of novel curricula, and have a record of academic and professional leadership. Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills are required.

The University

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is a global leader in research and education. Founded in 1853, the University is an independent, highly ranked institution. The university is organized into eight academic units: Arts & Sciences, Brown School of Social Work, Continuing and Professional Studies, McKelvey School of Engineering, Olin Business School, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, School of Law and School of Medicine. WashU educates over 15,000 full-time students, divided almost equally between undergraduate and graduate/professional students. Over the last two decades, the university has invested significantly in its student enterprise, constructing new residence halls, academic buildings and a university center, expanding student services, and maintaining its strong commitment to personalized attention and small class size. The university’s undergraduate student-faculty ratio is 7:1, and over 65 percent of its classes have fewer than 20 students. WashU’s FY2023 operating revenues were $4.76 billion, and its operating expenses were $4.45 billion. The university’s endowment is currently $11.1 billion.

The City

Greater St. Louis is the 21st-largest metropolitan area in the United States with a population of approximately 3 million. Thanks in large part to Washington University, other regional universities, and key Fortune 500 corporations, St. Louis is a national hub for critical research and business development, especially in the fields of medicine, biotechnology, Ag tech, and science. The University is an active partner in growing St. Louis as an innovation and start-up hub, recently helping to create the new Cortex Innovation Community, which borders the School of Medicine. The School of Medicine is located at the eastern edge of Forest Park, while the university’s Danforth Campus is at the western edge of this large urban park. Our campuses are surrounded by several vibrant neighborhoods, such as University City’s Delmar Loop and the Central West End, respectively named one of America’s best streets and one of the American Planning Association’s best neighborhoods in the country. Consistently ranked among the nation's best places to live and raise a family, the St. Louis region offers affordable neighborhoods and high-quality schools, in addition to all the amenities of a major city. The city provides numerous opportunities to enjoy professional sports, attend cultural events, and participate in a wide range of recreational activities, including the world-renowned St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Muny, the Black Rep, the St. Louis Cardinals, the St. Louis Blues, St. Louis City Soccer and the St. Louis Battlehawks. Between our university campuses is Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the U.S., and home to many of the region’s major cultural institutions including the St. Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, the St. Louis Science Center and the St. Louis Zoo, all of which are free to the public.

The Search

Inquiries, nominations and applications are invited. Although the search will remain open until the position is filled, review of candidate materials will begin immediately. Candidates should provide, in confidence, a curriculum vitae and a letter of application that highlights administrative acumen and leadership experience, and the names and contact information of five references. References will not be contacted without prior knowledge and approval of the candidates.

Materials should be sent electronically via e-mail to the university’s consultant, Dr. Jonathan Fortescue, and/or Oliva Iannini of Park Square Executive Search, at oiannini@parksquare.com. Documents that must be mailed may be sent to Jonathan Fortescue, PhD, Managing Partner, or Olivia Iannini, Senior Research Associate, Park Square Executive Search, LLC, 225 Franklin Street, 17th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.

Washington University in St. Louis is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Washington University welcomes difference on our campus in the form of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, geography, socioeconomic status, age, politics, religion, philosophy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and veteran status. All applicants who share this goal are encouraged to apply.