Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Chaden Djalali has named Dr. Mei Wei as the new dean of the Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ College of Engineering and Technology at Ohio University, effective July 15, 2019.
Wei comes to OHIO from the University of Connecticut, where she has served as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education in the School of Engineering since 2013.
“Dr. Wei’s extensive knowledge and experience are an excellent fit for the Russ College of Engineering and Technology,” Dr. Djalali said. “I am pleased that the search committee helped to select such a promising leader. It’s an exciting time for the Russ College, and Dr. Wei is uniquely positioned to pave the way for a promising future.”
In addition to her current position as Associate Dean, Wei has also served as Director of UConn’s General Electric Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials and Modeling since 2013 and founding director of the Master’s of Engineering in Global Entrepreneurship Program since 2018. She is also a co-founder and Chief Scientist for OrteoPoniX LLC, a biomedical device company that focuses on biomaterial development for bone and cartilage repair and regeneration.
“I am pleased to have such an outstanding scholar and proven administrator to lead our Russ College as we build on its tradition of excellence,” Ohio University President M. Duane Nellis said. “Dr. Wei’s practical and academic experience will be invaluable to the Russ College and Ohio University.”
While currently a full professor in both the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wei has also previously served as a visiting professor with the Department of Reconstructive Sciences in the School of Dental Medicine at UConn Health, a branch of UConn.
Wei holds a Ph.D. and an M.Eng. in materials science and engineering, both from the University of New South Wales, Australia, and a B.E. in metallurgy materials and engineering from Shenyang University of Technology in China. She completed postdoctoral research fellowships with the Centre for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering at Queensland University of Technology in Australia and with the Division of Materials Engineering at Kyoto University in Japan.
In her new role, Wei will lead a college that is home to the National Academy of Engineering’s prestigious Russ Prize and is ranked one of the nation’s best resources for gaining an advanced degree amidst work schedules, time constraints, and non-traditional settings. As dean she will oversee a full complement of academic, research and training facilities on OHIO's historic campus and in several nearby locations as well as a new 110,000-square-foot research facility slated to open in 2021.
Dr. Djalali announced the search committee for Ohio University’s dean of the Russ College in October 2018 following Dean Dennis Irwin’s announcement of his retirement after holding the position for 17 years. Dean Irwin has agreed to extend his term until July 14, 2019.