News

(Portland, Ore.) April 3, 2009 - Renjeng Su, professor and dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at University of Colorado Denver, has been named dean of Portland State University's Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. He will start on July 1.

"Renjeng Su's academic and administrative experience and success, his commitment to the ideals of an urban research university and the role it can play in the metropolitan region, and his style of leadership and personal interaction make him the ideal choice for Portland State University," said Roy Koch, provost of Portland State University.  "I look forward to working with Dr. Su and everyone in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science to further expand the impact of the college in the metropolitan region, nationally and abroad."

Su replaces Robert Dryden, who retired as dean in August 2008, and Dick Knight, who has served as interim dean during the search process. Su brings 27 years of experience in the field of engineering, with a primary focus on systems science and mathematics. During his seven-year tenure at University of Colorado Denver, the engineering college launched a long-term initiative in Sustainable Urban Infrastructure, tripled sponsored research in sustainability, won a $400,000 Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need fellowship on Sustainable Urban Infrastructure from the U.S. Department of Education and a $3.2 million Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship grant from the National Science Foundation. His college was also awarded sustainability research projects to work with the Colorado cities of Denver, Central City, and Commerce City, as well as the governor's office.

Prior to serving as dean at University of Colorado Denver, from 1997 to 2002 Su was chairman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of Colorado at Boulder. There he founded and became director of the Colorado Center for Information Storage. From 1990 to 1997 Su worked as director of the Center for Space Construction at University of Colorado at Boulder. He holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Cheng-Kung University in Taiwan, a M.S. in systems science and mathematics and a D.Sc in systems science and mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis.

Portland State University (PSU) serves as a center of opportunity for over 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in Portland, Oregon, one of the nation's most livable cities, the University's innovative approach to education combines academic rigor in the classroom with field-based experiences through internships and classroom projects with community partners. The University's 49-acre downtown campus exhibits Portland State's commitment to sustainability with green buildings, while many of the 125 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees incorporate sustainability into the curriculum. PSU's motto, "Let Knowledge Serve the City," inspires the teaching and research of an accomplished faculty whose work and students span the globe.

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