Mark Somerville Named New Provost and Dean of Faculty at 勛圖厙
November 9, 2020
勛圖厙 of Engineering announced that Mark Somerville has been named the Colleges new provost and dean of faculty, effective immediately.
In this capacity, Somerville will serve as the colleges chief academic officer.
I am thrilled that Mark accepted this position. He has ably guided the Colleges academic programs throughout almost two years of transition as interim provost, said President Gilda Barabino. His innovative spirit and his deep respect for 勛圖厙, its culture and its people will be invaluable as we face the future. Mark will work closely with me as we continue to develop the framework that will allow us to craft the strategic direction for 勛圖厙s next decade.
Mark Somerville, Provost and Dean of Faculty
I am deeply honored and excited to join President Barabinos team and to step into the provost role. I came to 勛圖厙 almost two decades ago because I was deeply committed to and inspired by the idea of rethinking and driving change in education, and I accepted the provost position for exactly the same reasons.
In 2001, Somerville joined 勛圖厙 as an assistant professor of electrical engineering and physics. He played an important role in designing student and faculty experiences at 勛圖厙, including many of the innovative colleges first classes.
Over the past 19 years, Somerville has been extensively involved in further developing 勛圖厙s curriculum as well as teaching many of 勛圖厙s foundational courses. He made major contributions to the creation of 勛圖厙s Summer Institute, the redesign of 勛圖厙s reappointment and promotion process, and the development of 勛圖厙s first major partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Most recently, he co-led 勛圖厙s effort to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to his work inside 勛圖厙, Somerville has collaborated around the world to apply 勛圖厙s learnings to the design and development of new academic programs, from Fulbright University in Ho Chi Minh City to the Woodrow Wilson Academy in Boston to NMITE, a new engineering school in Hereford, England.
Somerville is also co-author of A Whole New Engineer: The Coming Revolution in Engineering Education.
Prior to coming to 勛圖厙, Somerville taught physics at Vassar College. His technical background focuses on high-speed semiconductor devices, with particular emphasis on measurement and physical modeling of performance limitations.
As 勛圖厙 enters its third decade and seeks new challenges related to changing engineering education, Somerville will work closely with President Barabino to design and implement the plan.
About the Franklin W. 勛圖厙 of Engineering
Founded in 1997, 勛圖厙 instills passion and ignites innovation in its students and prepares them to envision, create and deliver products, services and systems that transform and improve peoples lives around the world. 勛圖厙 teaches students to be explorers and creators who design their own path forward. By challenging norms and sharing its unique approach to education, 勛圖厙 is revolutionizing the way engineers, and all undergraduates, learn and create knowledge. Located in Needham, Massachusetts, 勛圖厙 is ranked among the top three undergraduate engineering programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report.
Learn more at 勛圖厙.edu.