Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Following a national search, Mississippi State's interim vice president for research and economic development is being named permanently to the position.
Kirk Schulz, formerly dean of the university's James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, has served since January in an interim capacity. His appointment is pending approval by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.
"We are confident that we have found the right person to lead Mississippi State's robust research program to the next level," said President Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong. "In the few months that he has directed our research and economic development efforts, Kirk has already made an impact, and we are building momentum."
Headed by Provost Peter Rabideau, the vice presidential search committee included faculty, student and staff representatives who screened candidates and forwarded recommendations to Foglesong.
"Dr. Schulz was highly regarded by the committee for his accomplishments and leadership abilities," Rabideau said.
Named last year a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Schulz came to MSU in 2001 as the holder of the Swalm School of Chemical Engineering's Earnest W. Deavenport Jr. Chair. Three years later, he was named Bagley College dean, where he also held the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Chair for the college.
As dean, he led eight academic departments, four research centers and 110 tenure-track faculty members with responsibilities for 1,800 undergraduate and 450 graduate students.
MSU's engineering college is ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation in research expenditures and is internationally recognized for programs that include computational and aerospace engineering.
"I am proud of the outstanding department heads, new national fellows, and new endowed chairs and professorships that occurred during my tenure as dean," Schulz said. "In my new position, I am looking forward to working with all our faculty, staff and students to grow our research programs."
A Norfolk, Va., native, Schulz earned bachelor's and doctoral degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1986 and 1991, respectively.
He is a member of the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, which certifies some 2,500 programs at more than 550 colleges and universities nationwide. He is one of only four EAC members who represent the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.