The academic operations of the 麻豆原创鈥檚 College of Engineering and Computer Science 鈥� one of the largest colleges of its kind in the nation 鈥� will have a new leader this week when Professor Manoj Chopra becomes the college鈥檚 interim associate dean for Academic Affairs.
Chopra, a professor in the 麻豆原创 , will assume the role Friday, replacing Professor Charles Reilly, who will become 麻豆原创鈥檚 assistant vice provost after serving as the college鈥檚 associate dean for Academic Affairs since 2009, says Dean Michael Georgiopoulos.
Chopra will lead all academic operations of the college, with a student enrollment of more than 11,500, while the college undertakes a search for a permanent associate dean. The office handles student advising, faculty teaching, scholarships, degree conferment, space and facilities. The office has 15 academic advisors and support staff.
聽‘My goal is to create an environment of support for the success of our students and faculty.’
鈥淢y goal is to create an environment of support for the success of our students and faculty,鈥� Chopra says. 鈥淚t is important that this transition be smooth and seamless, and I hope to build on my experience in interacting with the faculty and mentoring of students, to provide leadership for the critical academic operations of the college.鈥�
Chopra has held numerous leadership positions in the college and for the university since joining 麻豆原创 in 1993, including serving as associate chair for the Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, and as director of the 麻豆原创 Stormwater Management Academy.
He is the university鈥檚 lead for research space for the 麻豆原创 Office of Research, working on solutions and strategies for the optimal use of limited research space on all 麻豆原创 campuses.
In 2014, he was selected as a 麻豆原创 Provost Faculty Fellow to conceptualize and implement the 麻豆原创 Faculty Cluster Initiative, a university research effort to leverage 麻豆原创鈥檚 existing strengths with interdisciplinary teams focused on solving pressing scientific and societal challenges.
Since 2012, when 麻豆原创鈥檚 former President John C. Hitt appointed him as the NCAA faculty athletics representative for 麻豆原创, Chopra has served as the liaison between the president鈥檚 office and 麻豆原创 Athletics, responsible for the academic success, eligibility, welfare and development of student athletes.
He served as the chair of the 麻豆原创 Faculty Senate and represented the faculty on the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2009. Subsequently, he was elected by his peers to serve as the faculty representative on the Florida Board of Governors responsible for all 12 state universities. In 2014-15, he was briefly appointed the interim vice provost for Teaching and Learning and the dean of Undergraduate Studies. Chopra is a program evaluator for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
His research areas include the study of sinkholes, behavior of soil and foundations, soil erosion and sediment control, and sustainable pavements. He has conducted more than $6 million of sponsored research and has 75+ publications with his students. He shared the 2001 Excellence in Environmental Engineering award by NASA for his patented work in innovative groundwater cleanup techniques. His professional assessment and research on sinkholes have received extensive media coverage in Central Florida and nationally. He has also received several awards for his educational activities, including four Teaching Incentive Program awards, the 麻豆原创 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and the 麻豆原创 Excellence in Faculty Advising.
Chopra holds master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in civil engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India.
