Vanderbilt University School of Engineering invites nominations and applications for the position of Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE). The ECE department seeks a visionary, collaborative leader who will further enhance the department’s position as a global leader in ECE research and education. Reporting to the Dean of Engineering, the incoming chair is expected to build upon the department’s innovative programs and lead the department to greater distinction and impact.
Housed in the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering (VUSE), the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and is ranked in the top 50 graduate programs in Electrical Engineering by the U.S. News & World Report. The ECE department is home to 32 primary faculty (18 tenured/tenure track) and ~160 undergraduates. The department has ~60 PhD students in its program and conducts research supported by approximately $13M of annual research expenditures. The department is recognized for its excellence in traditional and emerging areas of research across electrical and computer engineering, including electronics, photonics, medical imaging and devices, nanoscience, and artificial intelligence/machine learning. Moreover, the departmental faculty has leadership in the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (VINSE), Vanderbilt Institute of Surgery and Engineering (VISE), and Institute for Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE), and participates in several other research centers including the Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS), Vanderbilt Data Science Institute (DSI), Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science (VUIIS), Vanderbilt Brain Institute (VBI), and the newly established Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy, and Climate (VSEC). The department also maintains extensive collaborative research and education programs across the Vanderbilt campus and adjacent Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
The department of ECE seeks a leader who will move the department forward with a record of outstanding scholarship, mentorship, and community building, and a collegial, transparent, decisive, and empowering leadership style. The next Vanderbilt ECE department chair must be an innovative, inclusive, and forward-looking leader with a strong commitment to interdisciplinary research and education, and must have comprehensive leadership acumen in working with faculty, staff, and students. The successful candidate must effectively communicate the department’s goals and vision internally, across departments, with the dean and university leadership, and with external stakeholders, including alumni and donors. Ultimately, the department chair must be committed to Vanderbilt University’s mission to bring out the best in humanity by pushing new ideas into the frontiers of discovery and working diligently in the service of others.
Ranked #18 nationally according to the U.S. News and World Report, Vanderbilt University is a private, internationally recognized research university located on 330 park-like acres 1.5 miles from downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Its ten distinct schools share a single cohesive campus that values collaboration. The University enrolls over 13,700 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, including 38% students of color and over 1,700 international students.
With a metro population of over two million, Nashville is a technology center with many health care, AI, software, automotive, and defense-related companies. In recent years, the city has experienced an influx of major office openings by some of the largest global tech companies and prime Silicon Valley startups. Nashville’s top industries by employment include health services, education, hospitality, utilities, government, trade, and transportation. Industries related to manufacturing, finance, construction, and information technology also make significant contributions to the local economy.
At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.
Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
