In the News, February 2015

Last week, Edmund T. Cranch, Ph.D. (NJ G ’44), passed away at the age of 91. Dr. Cranch was the 12th President at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) from 1978-85. Before joining WPI, he spent most of his career in engineering education and academic administration at Cornell University. According to the obituary from WPI:

“One of President Cranch’s major initiatives was to pave the way for the computerization of the campus. Rather than requiring students to purchase computers, as some schools had done, Cranch appointed a dean of academic computing and formed a campus-wide committee to develop and manage a plan to thoroughly integrate personal computers into the Institute’s academic and research endeavors.”

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BU1(SCW/SS) Brian Wenning, OH G ’02, was awarded the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (MOVSM) in 2014. He was stationed in Afghanistan as a member of the Navy Seabees, command was Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 28. In total Wenning has spent 23 years in the U.S. Navy, six in the nuclear navy (submarines), seven in special forces, and ten in Seabees. Currently, is a senior engineer at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory.

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The Chronicle of Higher Education posted the invitation for nominations and applications for the position of Dean and CEO at Texas A&M University at Qatar. The desired appointment date for the position is July 1, 2015. Texas A&M at Qatar is a branch campus of Texas A&M located in Doha, Qatar that offers ABET accredited bachelor of science degrees in petroleum, chemical, mechanical, and electrical engineering, following the same curricula as those same programs in College Station, Texas.

Candidates must have a doctoral degree in engineering or physical sciences and should qualify for a tenured full professor position in the Dwight Look College of Engineering. The current Dean/CEO at Texas A&M University Qatar is Mark H. Weichold, Ph.D., P.E. (TX D ’78), who became dean of Texas A&M University at Qatar in January 2007. Click here to read more about the position requirements and instructions on how to apply.

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