Interim dean named at SIUE School of Engineering
From Illinois Business Journal news services
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has appointed Cem Karacal, PhD, professor and associate dean in the School of Engineering, as interim dean beginning Jan. 1.
Karacal (left) steps in for Dean Hasan Sevim, who is retiring effective Dec. 31.
Sevim joined SIUE in 2006 as the Dean of the School of Engineering after beginning his career in 1983 at the SIU Carbondale campus as an assistant professor. He eventually rose to associate dean of the SIUC School of Engineering.
“I want to thank Dean Sevim for his 33 years of service to the SIU System, but especially for his leadership as dean,” said Denise Cobb, SIUE interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “It is through Dean Sevim’s hard work and leadership that the School has enjoyed tremendous growth and success. He will be missed.
“Dr. Karacal now has the opportunity to work with the faculty and build on Dean Sevim’s successes.”
Karacal joined the SOE faculty in 1993 and has served in several school and university-wide capacities.
“Dr. Karacal exemplifies the teacher-scholar model that we value so much,” Cobb said. “He thoroughly understands how to be an effective teacher, a fact that was recognized when his colleagues twice nominated him for the SIUE Teaching Excellence Award. He is also an accomplished scholar with over 30 refereed scholarly publications. Likewise, his dedication to student success is evident and highly valued.”
Karacal is the principal investigator for the five-year, $830,000 National Science Foundation STEP grant. The grant’s goal is to improve engineering graduation rates at SIUE via a holistic approach that includes mathematics enrichment sessions, mentoring, tutoring and student engagement. He is also a member of several engineering professional and honor societies, such as the American Society for Engineering Education, Institute of Industrial Engineers, Tau Beta Pi and Alpha Pi Mu.
