New dean engineers plans for his school

New dual-degree programs, submatriculation options and courses designed to direct freshmen toward a major are some of the changes undergraduate School of Engineering and Applied Science students can look forward to under recently appointed Associate Dean John Vohs. Engineering School Dean Gregory Farrington appointed Vohs in July after conferring with many Engineering School faculty and students. "All felt that he would make an exceptional undergraduate dean," Farrington said. "He's very committed to education, he gets along well with the faculty and he's a member of the younger generation." Among Vohs' ideas to enhance the undergraduate experience is a dual-degree program with the Engineering School and the College of Arts and Sciences. "With this program students will be able to major in both English and Environmental Studies," he said. Currently, the Engineering School and the Wharton School sponsor a Management and Technology dual-degree program. The creation of other interdisciplinary programs along these lines is encouraged under the administration's 21st Century Project. Additionally, Vohs wants to create submatriculation programs in conjunction with some of the University's graduate schools. "SEAS students will be able to do such things as submatriculate into Law School or get a Master's in telecommunications or biotechnology," Vohs said. He added that he expects students involved in such programs to graduate in 4 1/2 years, since many Engineering School undergraduates already come to the University with up to seven Advanced Placement credits and have room in their schedules to explore graduate courses. Vohs also hopes to develop a course -- designed specifically for undeclared freshmen -- that integrates the school's various departments. For instance, students would study the V22 Osprey -- a plane being built by Boeing -- and learn how it relates to different fields of engineering. And he said he also wants to increase interaction with the University's other undergraduate schools by developing courses that introduce non-Engineering School students to aspects of computer science. Vohs joined the Engineering School faculty nine years ago as a Chemical Engineering professor. He has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware. In addition to his position as undergraduate dean, Vohs teaches Chemical Engineering 111 and leads research programs in Surface and Interfacial Science. He replaces former Associate Dean David Pope, who resigned from the position after three years to resume his material science research, Farrington said.