SEAS Interim Dean Appointed

Spaepen is Franklin professor of applied physics and director of the Rowland Institute at Harvard. He previously....

Spaepen is Franklin professor of applied physics and director of the Rowland Institute at Harvard. He previously....

Materials scientist Frans Spaepen will serve as interim dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) starting September 15, Michael D. Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, announced today.

Spaepen is Franklin professor of applied physics and director of the Rowland Institute at Harvard. (Read more about that institution here.) He previously directed the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center at Harvard. He received a Ph.D. in applied physics from Harvard in 1975 and has been a faculty member since 1977.

"What's always impressed me about Frans is his almost innate ability to meld leadership with partnership," Smith said in the news release. "Moreover, Frans' work in materials science is part of a long tradition of world-class research at Harvard that spans not only engineering, but physics, chemistry, and biology. His ability to understand and appreciate such intellectual breadth makes him ideally suited to support SEAS' continuing mission to foster links at Harvard and connect with the wider world."

Outgoing dean Venkatesh Narayanamurti, who guided the new school through its first year, previously headed the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He will return to teaching after a sabbatical year.

Read the official news release announcing Spaepen's appointment here. Read more about SEAS here.

You might also like

The Roman Empire’s Cosmopolitan Frontier

Genetic analysis reveals a culture enriched from both sides of the Danube.

Tobacco Smoke and Tuberculosis

Harvard researchers illuminate a longstanding epidemiological connection. 

Discourse and Discipline

Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences broaches two tough topics.

Most popular

Small-Town Roots

Professors’ humble beginnings, concentration choices, and a mini history of Harvard and Radcliffe presidents

Vita: Fanny Bullock Workman

Brief life of a feisty mountaineer: 1859-1925

Being Black at Work

Realizing the full potential of black employees

More to explore

Illustration of a box containing a laid-off fossil fuel worker's office belongings

Preparing for the Energy Transition

Expect massive job losses in industries associated with fossil fuels. The time to get ready is now.

Apollonia Poilâne standing in front of rows of fresh-baked loaves at her family's flagship bakery

Her Bread and Butter

A third-generation French baker on legacy loaves and the "magic" of baking

Illustration that plays on the grade A+ and the term Ai

AI in the Academy

Generative AI can enhance teaching and learning but augurs a shift to oral forms of student assessment.