Reese, King filling key posts in MSU engineering dean's office

Contact: Phil Hearn

STARKVILLE, Miss.--Two longtime faculty members in Mississippi State's Bagley College of Engineering are filling key administrative positions in the office of Dean Kirk Schulz.

Donna Reese, professor of computer science and engineering, replaces Robert Taylor as associate dean for academics and administration. She had held the post on an interim basis since Taylor's retirement from the university last October.

Roger King, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the new associate dean for research and graduate studies. The post had been vacant since the resignation of Lesia Crumpton-Young in 2002.

In his capacity as associate dean, King also will begin serving July 1 as interim director of MSU's Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Laboratory. A national search will be conducted for a new permanent director.

"Putting a complete leadership team in place was a goal of mine when I became dean of the Bagley college," said Schulz. "These two positions are crucial to the operation and function of the college, and I am extremely confident in Dr. Reese's and Dr. King's ability to provide the leadership necessary to move the college forward."

Reese became undergraduate coordinator for her department in 1997--advising incoming freshmen and transfer students, and assisting the Association for Computing Machinery as faculty sponsor since that time.

She earned a bachelor's degree at Louisiana Tech University, then completed a master's and doctorate at Texas A&M University.

A Grisham Master Teacher, Reese also was named Outstanding Faculty Adviser by the National Academic Advising Association in 2004. As interim associate dean since October 2004, she has represented the college as chair of undergraduate studies for computer science and software engineering committees.

King, a 17-year MSU faculty veteran and associate director for research at the university's GeoResources Institute, has administrated scientific investigations in more than $23 million of sponsored research. He also holds the rank of William L. Giles Distinguished Professor, an honor bestowed on only a handful of MSU professors who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of research, teaching and service.

King's research specialty areas include remote sensing, intelligent systems and power, and ground and methane control. He holds a bachelor's degree from West Virginia University, a master's from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctorate from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom.

For more information, contact Leanne Feibelman or Julie Lemons at (662) 325-8098; or lfeibelman@engr.msstate.edu or jlemons@engr.msstate.edu.