Dear Students and Colleagues,

Following a national search, we are delighted to share that Christopher Hansen has been named dean of Temple University’s College of Engineering, effective Aug. 1.

Chris currently serves as a professor and department chair of mechanical and industrial engineering in the Francis College of Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. A strong advocate for access and public higher education, Chris has a demonstrated track record of building interdisciplinary programs and community connections that link research, workforce development and student success.

He has shared that he was drawn to Temple’s mission and the important role it occupies as an urban, public R1 institution, and this became clear throughout this highly competitive search process. We are confident that Chris is the right leader to help advance a student experience within the College of Engineering that prioritizes both excellence and persistence.

At the Francis College of Engineering, Chris oversees a department with annual research expenditures of $6.7 million. He also played a key role in expanding the research and teaching impact of the department through strategic hiring of assistant professors and supporting faculty through the tenure and promotion process.

His commitment to student success can be seen through the way in which his department reimagined the undergraduate recruitment process. Under Chris’ leadership, Open House and Welcome Day recruiting events were restructured as student experience-centered events. Chris also worked directly with faculty to modernize undergraduate curricula, transforming the mechanical engineering first-year experience and creating a community-building and professional skills course for incoming students, as well as an advanced technical communication course aligned with industry expectations.

To learn more about Chris and the experience he brings to this important role, please view this Temple Now piece.

We want to thank the search advisory committee and its chair, Dean Suresh Madhavan of the School of Pharmacy, for their efforts in helping bring this important appointment to fruition.

We also want to recognize and express our sincere gratitude to Dean Keya Sadeghipour for his 28 years of outstanding service leading the College of Engineering. His impact on the college and its students, faculty, staff and alumni is profound. Thanks to Keya’s steady leadership, the college is well-positioned for an exciting future.

Sincerely,

John Fry
President

David Boardman
Interim Provost