Sharon Walker, Interim Dean of the Bourns College of Engineering and ETOX faculty member, as been appointed Dean of the College of Engineering at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Below are excerpts from the email that was sent out by our Provost Cindy LaRive.
"Sharon was appointed interim dean in July 2016, after Dean Reza Abbaschian stepped down following 11 years leading the Bourns College. She brought continuity of leadership, a keen focus on student success, and intense advocacy for her faculty colleagues and the needs of the College. Sharon eagerly initiated new collaborations with other academic units and embraced the decanal role with her characteristic optimism and perseverance. She has continued to champion diversity and made a number of impressive faculty hires during almost two years as interim dean. An accomplished scholar, Sharon also worked to raise academic sights for the College, prioritized student achievement, and has been an active and successful fundraiser.
Sharon arrived as a new assistant professor in 2005 and quickly earned the respect and admiration of her faculty peers. Her research program focuses on water quality, particularly the fate and transport of bacteria and nanoparticles in water. She was recently awarded a prestigious Fulbright Grant to continue her research into desalination and water treatment at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Sharon has also received multiple awards from the National Science Foundation including a CAREER award and was a co-PI on NSF ADVANCE and IGERT grants. She received the Chancellor’s Award for mentoring undergraduates in research and previously served as associate dean of the graduate division.
... She will begin her new role at Drexel on September 1, 2018, so we will have an opportunity before then to celebrate her service and wish her well. In the meantime, please join me in thanking Professor Sharon Walker for her service as interim dean of the Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering"
