Omid Ansary has been named senior associate dean for academic affairs, after a national search for this senior leadership position at Penn State Harrisburg. The appointment becomes effective immediately. Ansary has served as the interim senior associate dean since July 2010.
A tenured professor of electrical engineering, Ansary joined the campus in 1985 and served as director of the campus’ School of Science, Engineering, and Technology for nine years before being named interim senior associate dean.
“We are very pleased that Dr. Ansary will continue to provide our campus with his outstanding academic leadership,” said Chancellor Mukund Kulkarni.
“Most recently, he has overseen progress in many areas, including undergraduate enrollment growth of nearly 10 percent, establishment of an office dedicated to advancing graduate studies at the college, the development of new academic programs, and creation of the Central Pennsylvania Research and Teaching Laboratory for Biofuels,” Kulkarni said.
During his tenure at the college, Dr. Ansary also has played a key role in promoting emerging technologies, research, and education in electrical engineering and has developed several undergraduate and graduate courses in the field. In collaboration with colleagues, he has initiated innovative programs in engineering and science curricula, including internship and externship experiences for freshmen and sophomores.
An exceptionally accomplished teacher-scholar, Dr. Ansary has served on the Penn State Harrisburg Faculty Senate, including one term as president; on the University’s Academic Leadership Planning Committee; and on numerous search, curriculum, advisory and outreach committees. He is a member of the University's Administrative Council on Undergraduate Education.
Ansary has the distinction of having received the campus' awards for excellence in teaching (1996), in research (2000) and in service (2000). He also has received a number of external awards including the 2005 Technical Achievement Award from the Central Pennsylvania Engineers Week Council and the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Third Millennium Medal.
Ansary earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Youngstown State University and a master’s and doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Akron. He is widely published in scholarly journals and has presented more than 100 technical papers at national and international conferences.