Dear UT Community,
I am extremely pleased to announce that Dr. Roger Bonnecaze will serve as the next Dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering, effective June 1. An internationally recognized expert in rheology and modeling and simulation for nanotechnology, Dr. Bonnecaze has served on the UT faculty for nearly 30 years. He has also served as interim dean of the Cockrell School since July.
Dr. Bonnecaze, who currently holds the George T. and Gladys H. Abell Endowed Chair in Engineering in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, served as chair of the McKetta Department from 2005 to 2013. He also co-founded the Nanomanufacturing Systems for Mobile Computing and Energy Technologies (NASCENT) Center — the first National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center led by the Cockrell School — where he organized and led research projects with colleagues from numerous disciplines, engaged industrial partners in both research and entrepreneurial activities, and coordinated educational programs for the UT and greater Austin community.
Dr. Bonnecaze is deeply committed to the university’s continued excellence and to building a successful, supportive and inclusive Texas Engineering community. His strong, strategic leadership — along with the many contributions he has made as interim dean — has helped to set him apart in the search process. I am confident in his ability to strengthen the Cockrell School’s position as one of the world’s top engineering schools.
I would like to thank the search committee for their excellent work to identify a very competitive pool of candidates. I believe we have selected a tremendous leader who will be a passionate advocate for all engineering students, faculty, and staff in the years ahead.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Bonnecaze!
Sincerely,
Sharon L. Wood