Appointment of Professor Elise Morgan as Dean of the BU College of Engineering

From Dr. Gloria Waters, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Last fall, we announced the formation of a search advisory committee to help identify the next permanent dean of the Boston University College of Engineering (ENG). Professor Elise Morgan has served as dean ad interim of the college since July 2023 and has provided exemplary leadership during this extended period of transition. After a national search process that considered several strong candidates for the role, President Gilliam and I are very pleased to announce Professor Morgan’s permanent appointment as dean of the College of Engineering, effective August 1.

Professor Morgan has brought a steady, collaborative management style as interim dean over the last two years, focused on accelerating ambitious new scholarship, further strengthening the college’s undergraduate offerings, and enhancing a culture of inclusion for students, faculty, and staff across all departments. In doing so, she has established her own vision for the college as a laboratory for innovation and a training ground for premier engineering talent. As Boston University pursues a strategy of convergence in research that integrates diverse fields and drives collaboration, Professor Morgan has been a bridgebuilder. She’s been a thoughtful and active partner at the University level, working to remove barriers across disciplines, launch new areas of exploration aimed at solving societal challenges, and elevate standards of excellence in teaching and research. She has likewise been an exceptional steward for the college’s financial and reputational growth, developing critical new revenue streams for student support and leading key conversations within and beyond our campuses about ENG’s global standing and trajectory in science, engineering, and industry.

Professor Morgan has been a respected member of the College of Engineering faculty since 2003. Her primary professorial appointment is in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, with additional affiliations in the Division of Materials Science & Engineering, the Department of Biomedical Engineering, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. She holds the title of Maysarah K. Sukkar Professor of Engineering Design and Innovation and was founding director of the Center for Multiscale & Translational Mechanobiology. Her research program in biomechanics and mechanobiology focuses on causes and treatments for diseases and conditions such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and impaired bone healing.

Among many awards and honors, Professor Morgan is an elected fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, and in 2015 was named to the 100 Inspiring Women in STEM list by INSIGHT into Diversity magazine. She has served as associate editor of the Journal of Biomechanics, a member of the board of directors of the Orthopaedic Research Society, and former chair of a National Institutes of Health study section. She has over 150 peer-reviewed publications and nearly 15,000 citations (Google Scholar). She holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.

From our conversations both throughout this process and over her last two years as interim dean, it grew increasingly evident that Professor Morgan possesses the skills and experience, the teambuilding mindset, the established relationships and respect, and the strategic vision necessary to guide the College of Engineering and its talented community to further growth and global distinction.

Dean Morgan’s appointment was approved this week by the Board of Trustees. We hope that you’ll join us in congratulating and welcoming her to this well-deserved, permanent role. We would like to thank the College of Engineering Dean Search Advisory Committee and its chair, Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences Azer Bestavros, for its excellent work over the last academic year in ensuring the success of this search.

Search Advisory Committee for the Dean of the College of Engineering

Chair:
Azer Bestavros, Associate Provost for Computing & Data Sciences (selected by the University provost)

Members:
Sean Andersson, Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering (elected by the College of Engineering)

Ji-Xin Cheng, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering, College of Engineering (selected by the University provost)

Catherine Klapperich, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering (elected by the College of Engineering)

Elaine Lee, Clinical Associate Professor of Medical Sciences & Education, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine (elected by the Faculty Council)

Kim McCall, Professor of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences (selected by the University provost)

Harold Park, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering (elected by the College of Engineering)

Andrei Ruckenstein, Professor of Physics, College of Arts & Sciences (elected by the Faculty Council)

Staff Liaison:
Gina Ford, Project Manager, Office of the Provost

Appointment of Professor Elise Morgan as Dean of the BU College of Engineering – 7.17.25