Armour College of Engineering Dean

Status: Candidate Cultivation

Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) seeks an ambitious, dynamic, and forward-thinking leader to serve as the next dean of the Armour College of Engineering. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a college with a legacy of innovation and impact at Chicago’s only technology-focused university. Armour has a rich history of training some of the world’s most prominent and impactful influencers and engineers and is dedicated to cultivating talent that drives progress and addresses global challenges. The dean will work closely with leaders across the university’s seven colleges and schools and other academic, research, and industrial partners, to develop new unique opportunities for education and research and continue the tradition of innovation and excellence that has been a hallmark of an Illinois Tech education.

Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Tech was born to liberate the collective power of difference to advance technology and progress for all. Recently named a 2024 Best College in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal, Illinois Tech is positioned for dramatic growth and development as it continues to pursue its founding mission to provide access to higher education for students from different backgrounds and to make a difference in the world through technology-oriented education. The Armour College of Engineering is a key player in the mission and future of the university as it educates engineers who will be innovators and entrepreneurs, conducts groundbreaking research, and serves a vital role in the tech industry of the city and region.

Reporting to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, the dean will serve as a champion of the college and a leader at the institution. The next dean will leverage partnerships in hands-on education, research, and with local industry; champion the college to external audiences and generate resources for modernization and growth; recruit, develop, and retain excellent faculty and staff; serve as a hub for interdisciplinary partnerships with schools and colleges across Illinois Tech; and champion the advancement of research and scholarship. The dean will lead the college’s efforts to collaborate with Chicago Public Schools with the aim of improving STEM education and encourage more students to choose STEM careers.  

Illinois Institute of Technology has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. All inquiries, nominations, and applications, should be directed electronically and in confidence to:  

  • Melissa DePretto-Behan, Senior Associate
  • Rachel Banderob, Senior General Search Coordinator
  • Victoria Castillo, Senior Search Coordinator
  • Isaacson, Miller

Apply for or Nominate Someone for the Position

Search Committee Members

  • Co-Chair: Rowe Family College of Architecture Dean Endowed Chair Reed Kroloff
  • Co-Chair: Arthur W. Hill Endowed Chair in Sustainability, Chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, and Professor of Architectural Engineering Brent Stephens
  • Konstatinos Arfanakis, Professor of Biomedical Engineering
  • Mohammad Asadi, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering
  • Suresh Borkar, Associate Teaching Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Edoarda Corradi Dell’Acqua, Associate Teaching Professor and Interprofessional Projects (IPRO) Programs Director
  • Seebandy Datta-Barua, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Julie Diemer, Associate General Counsel
  • Scott T. M. Dawson, Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Mike Graff (CHE ’77), Illinois Tech Trustee and Chair of the Armour College Board of Advisors
  • Carrie Hall, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  • Mohammad Heidarinejad, Associate Professor of Architectural Engineering
  • Pam House, Industrial Technology and Management Program Staff
  • Sohail Murad, Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Professor of Chemical Engineering
  • Ruth Negru (Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering Candidate), Doctor student in the Biomedical Engineering Program
  • Erdal Oruklu, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
  • Beatrice Person, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Staff
  • Jeff Terry, Professor of Physics and Materials Science and Engineering
  • Marcella Viacik, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering