After a successful year of interim leadership of SEAS, Shih-Fu Chang has been named the next Dean of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Interim Dean Shih-Fu Chang will serve as the next Dean of SEAS, according to an email sent out to SEAS students by President Bollinger. This announcement follows Dean Chang’s successful 10 months as Interim Dean after Mary C. Boyce left the role to serve as University Provost. President Bollinger’s email can be found in its entirety below.

Shih-Fu Chang first arrived at Columbia in 1993 as an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering, and he joined the Computer Science department through a joint appointment in 2011. During his time at Columbia, Dean Chang’s research has focused on artificial intelligence, multimedia content analysis, and computer vision. He has also played a crucial role in developing Columbia Engineering for Humanity, which seeks to serve the public good through work between disciplines, departments, and schools. 

Under Dean Chang’s leadership over the last 10 months, Columbia Engineering has increased its number of dual degree and joint degree MS programs with partner schools, created the Columbia Startup Fellows program to allow early-stage startups to conduct product research development in campus labs and expanded interdisciplinary research for faculty. Additionally, Dean Chang has focused on diversity and inclusion efforts by recruiting faculty from underrepresented backgrounds, creating more STEM pipeline programs, and appointing a SEAS Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. 

In his email, President Bollinger wrote that the search committee’s thorough efforts revealed that Dean Chang’s “dedication to the School, to its faculty, and to its students, is unparalleled. President Bollinger also expressed confidence that under Dean Chang’s leadership, Columbia Engineering will continue to explore innovative research to elevate students’ educational experience and attract exceptional students and faculty.

Email sent out to SEAS Students by President Lee C. Bollinger on May 3 at 12:24 pm EST: 

Dear members of the School of Engineering and Applied Science community:

I am delighted to share with you, ahead of announcing this news to the full University community, that I have appointed Shih-Fu Chang as Dean of SEAS. Following a highly successful interim year of leadership and a thorough search process, it was clear to me and to the Search Committee that Shih-Fu’s dedication to the School, to its faculty, and to its students, is unparalleled. This is a wonderful outcome for the School and for the University. Please join me in congratulating Dean Shih-Fu Chang.

Sincerely,

Lee C. Bollinger

***

Dear fellow members of the Columbia community:

I am delighted to announce that I have appointed Shih-Fu Chang as the next Dean of The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). I know all those familiar with Shih-Fu and the great care and commitment he brings to SEAS and to the University will celebrate this news.

Columbia Engineering is one of Columbia’s oldest schools, dedicated to attracting the brightest minds in engineering and applied science and to creating new knowledge in the service of social progress. Over the last 10 months, under Shih-Fu’s interim leadership, the School has continued its strategic efforts in developing new dual degree and joint degree MS programs with partner schools, co-led the creation of the Columbia Startup Fellows program, and expanded support for faculty to launch large cross-disciplinary research centers, including those devoted to Artificial Intelligence climate modeling, carbon technology, pandemic response innovation, women’s health, and Smart Cities. Diversity and inclusion efforts have focused on recruiting faculty from underrepresented backgrounds, creating new STEM pipeline programs, and establishing and hiring a SEAS Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. And, in support of students and faculty, Shih-Fu has helped the School continue its very successful fundraising efforts.

Shih-Fu has been an admired member of the Columbia community for nearly three decades, having arrived as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering in 1993. He joined the Department of Computer Science with a joint appointment in 2011. As I shared in my announcement of his interim appointment, Shih-Fu is a gifted and deeply respected scientist whose research focuses on artificial intelligence, multimedia content analysis, and computer vision. As an administrator, he has spent many years working tirelessly to position SEAS among the top engineering schools in the world. He was closely involved in developing Columbia Engineering for Humanity, an articulation of the School’s commitment to serve the world through work across disciplines, departments, and schools. As Dean, Shih-Fu will promote University-wide efforts that grow our capacities for innovative research and continue ongoing work within the School to elevate the educational experience for Engineering students and to attract the most talented students and faculty.

I would like to express my gratitude to the search committee for their careful and thoughtful efforts, through a broad and deep search process. I could not be more pleased that we reached this outcome and that Shih-Fu has agreed to serve as Dean. From the search process and beyond, I know everyone will join me in congratulating Shih-Fu on this well-deserved appointment.

Sincerely,

Lee C. Bollinger

Columbia Campus via Bwog Archives