Robert D. Dryden, dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science (MCECS) for the past 13 years, has announced that he will step down, effective June 30, 2008. Dick Knight, a 32-year veteran of the high tech industry, will be the interim dean during the search for Dryden's replacement.

"Under Dryden's leadership," said Roy Koch, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, "the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science has gained regional, national and international recognition for its innovations and excellence in instruction, research, and collaborative partnerships."

In 1995, Dryden was appointed dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science and embarked on a mission to refine, reshape, and expand its role as the region's engineering research hub. As a result, the College has experienced unprecedented growth, including 35 percent annual increase in externally funded research, 50 new faculty members recruited from some of the most prestigious institutions in the world, addition of 41 new laboratories, five new Ph.D. programs, an upsurge in student enrollment, and continuous expansion of research partnerships with regional industries and government agencies.

"We achieved these goals," said Dryden, "by taking the different elements of engineering and computer science and consolidating them into one location: the new Northwest Center for Engineering, Science and Technology." The new facility was completed in part from an $8 million dollar gift, the largest private donation at PSU, from alumnus Dr. Fariborz Maseeh. "I'm very proud of the quality of the education the students are receiving now because of the hands-on experience made possible by the new facilities."

After a short leave, Dryden will join the faculty as a university professor. "It has been an honor and a privilege for me to serve as Dean during the past thirteen years," said Dryden, "and I look forward to spending more time with our students."

Dryden received his B.S. (1967) and his M.S. (1968) in Industrial Engineering and Management from Oklahoma State University, and his Ph.D. degree from Texas Tech University in 1973. Dryden has experience both in industry and in academia. After working for Conoco Pipe Line Company, he joined the faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington (1968), and also served as associate director of the Construction Research Center. In 1977, he assumed the chairmanship of the Industrial Engineering Department at Wichita State University where he also directed the Rehabilitation Engineering Center. In 1979, he accepted the position as Department Head of the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research Department at Virginia Tech where he remained until joining PSU. He is a professional engineer and has consulted and conducted research in the areas of construction productivity, safety, human factors engineering, rehabilitation engineering, and economic evaluation.

Dick Knight, a strong supporter of PSU for over 15 years, has been chosen as interim dean while a national search is conducted for a permanent replacement.

In 2002 Knight retired in order to devote his time to volunteer activities in support of education. Prior to his retirement, Knight was the President and COO of a local start-up company commercializing liquid crystal display technology that was sold in 2002. Previously, he worked at Tektronix, an Oregon high tech company, and rose to the position of vice president responsible for annual sales of over $800 million. His activities include membership on the Board of Saturday Academy, the Board of TechStart Education Foundation, the Advisory Board for PSU's Maseeh College, Chair of the Advisory Board for the Center for Coastal Margins and Ocean Prediction (an NSF funded program at OHSU/OGI), and participating in the design of a new Health and Science High School which recently opened in Beaverton.

Knight is also on the Oregon Pre-Engineering and Applied Sciences (OPAS) steering committee, a project of the Engineering and Technology Industry Council formed with the goal of encouraging students to select and prepare for technical careers. He has served on the Board of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and was also co-chair of the group that brought Intel International Science and Engineering Fair "the world's largest high school science fair" to Portland in 2004.

As interim dean, Knight will support the effort to recruit a permanent dean and continue the efforts begun by Dryden. "He has been a force for transformation in developing the college," said Knight. "It's a different place, a better place for everyone, than it was before he arrived. And we have many opportunities available to us that still need to be pursued. I plan on reaching out to the community to strengthen our existing partnerships as well as pursue new ones. We will continue to expand our capacity to serve the region and reach out to the next generation of students. We've got momentum," said Knight, "and I plan on keeping us moving forward."

"We are delighted to have this expanded opportunity to benefit from Dick Knight's significant experience in the Oregon high tech community," said Koch. "He has been a committed advocate and advisor to the MCECS and the University as a member of the Maseeh College Advisory Board, and now will be providing critical administrative leadership to the College during this important transition year."

Knight's education includes a B.S. in physics from Indiana University, a M.S. in physics from the University of Illinois, and participation in the Stanford Executive Program, an intensive non-degree program for working executives.