Subject:

Reappointment of Albert Pisano as Dean of Jacobs School of Engineering

We are pleased to inform the campus community of the continued
appointment of Albert Pisano as Dean of the Jacobs School of Engineering
following a successful five-year review. The review committee concluded,
and we wholeheartedly agree, that the Jacobs School has flourished and
its reputation enhanced during Dean Pisano's first five-year term.

Upon his arrival, Dean Pisano engaged the Jacobs School community and
developed a 7-year expansion plan for the School. His "Strategy for
Excellence" included major thrusts in the areas of managed growth,
strategic initiatives to enhance research productivity, and
infrastructure growth. His well-articulated plan for strategic growth is
being successfully implemented and its benefits are positively impacting
the Jacobs School and the UC San Diego campus as a whole.

Under his stewardship, faculty research has been strengthened and
diversified through the establishment of several new interdisciplinary
institutes, agile research centers, and cross campus collaborations.
Additionally, new academic programs in experiential engineering,
technology management, entrepreneurship and data science have been
launched, and major curricular reforms implemented. Critical growth in
infrastructure to house these and other collaborations is underway with
the development of the new Franklin Antonio Hall, to include over
137,000 square feet of new assignable space.

Dean Pisano has a reputation for undertaking aggressive goals without
compromising on quality, all while working to improve the overall
student experience. Throughout his first term, Dean Pisano demonstrably
prioritized the recruitment of an increasingly diverse faculty and
advocated for initiatives to diversify and provide effective support for
the school's student body. He is particularly proud of the Jacobs
School-wide Student Success Initiative, aimed at increasing retention
and diversity in engineering via academic support, community building
and leadership opportunities. His leadership role in establishing the
Envision Studio to help freshmen and sophomore engineering students
develop a better appreciation of engineering was another key highlight
of his first term. The program led to the creation of formal courses and
increased opportunities for engineering students to work in campus labs.

We are pleased to acknowledge the many advances during Dean Pisano's
first term, and we extend our appreciation to the review committee for
its thorough and thoughtful work. Please join us in congratulating Dean
Pisano on his renewed appointment. We look forward to his continued
leadership of the Jacobs School of Engineering and his partnership on
critical issues of importance to the campus.

Pradeep K. Khosla Chancellor Elizabeth H. Simmons Executive Vice Chancellor