September 30, 2019
Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon Community:
I am delighted to announce that William H. Sanders, a renowned educator and researcher in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and academic collaborator in public-private partnerships, has been selected as the new dean of CMU’s College of Engineering. Bill will assume the role of dean on January 1, 2020.
Bill most recently served as interim director of the University of Illinois system’s Discovery Partners Institute, which focuses on developing the statewide workforce by creating solutions through interdisciplinary public-private partnerships and technology-based solutions. During his 25-year tenure at UIUC, Bill also served as head of the UIUC’s highly ranked Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Among his many professional accomplishments, he was also the founding director of the university’s Information Trust Institute, a leading enterprise that combines research and education to create critical and trustworthy applications for global cyber infrastructures.
Bill’s appointment follows a rigorous nine-month international search from a pool of highly qualified, diverse and exceptional candidates, as we sought an individual capable to lead the college’s renowned research, academic, and strategic enterprises. Bill is a great choice to lead our College of Engineering, a world-class institution recognized for excellence, innovation, and advanced collaboration. I want to thank the dean search committee, co-chaired by Burcu Akinci and Neil Donahue, for their outstanding work.
I would also like to express sincere appreciation to Jon Cagan, the George Tallman and Florence Barrett Ladd Professor of Engineering, for serving as interim dean of the College of Engineering. He has done an exceptional job in the role over the past several months, and we are all grateful for his service to the college. Jon plans to continue his research and to teach as a member of the college’s mechanical engineering faculty.
I’m confident that Bill will work closely with students, faculty and staff at the college and across campus to create more collaborative academic and research opportunities, and to continue our pursuit of diversity and inclusive excellence.
You can learn more about Bill by reading the announcement on the Carnegie Mellon website.
Please join me in congratulating Bill Sanders on his new position, and in welcoming him to the CMU community.
Regards,
Jim Garrett
Provost
Thomas Lord Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering