NEWS

After 10 years as dean and nearly three decades as a faculty member, Dr. Hisham Hegab has retired from Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science (COES).

Dr. Collin Wick is serving as interim dean of the College while the University conducts a national search for the next COES dean.

Wick’s career with the University spans nearly two decades and includes multiple leadership positions within the COES. He served as associate dean of graduate studies (2017-2023) and chair of the College’s chemistry program (2013-2017). He has been the College’s associate dean of research since 2022 and will continue in that appointment while he serves as the interim dean.

The COES recently named Dr. Daniela Mainardi as the interim associate dean of graduate studies. Mainardi, who joined Tech in 2003, previously served as program chair of chemical engineering (2011-2017) and then as academic director for chemical engineering and nanosystems engineering (2017-2023). Mainardi has also served as the assessment coordinator for the COES since 2015.

“I am thrilled for the opportunity to serve the COES in this new role,” she said. “I firmly believe that caring about a student’s success by offering unwavering support and fostering motivation forms the foundation for influencing students’ professional and personal development. I am especially eager to engage with our graduate students and devise strategies that enable them to reach their highest potential.”

Dr. Teresa Murray has been appointed interim academic director of the biomedical engineering and chemical engineering programs, and Dr. Mary Caldorera-Moore has been appointed interim academic director of the industrial engineering and instrumentation and control systems engineering technology programs.

“I look forward to working with our chemical and biomedical engineering faculty, students, and advisory boards to maintain high value for our programs,” Murray said. “This is an exciting opportunity to serve these programs.”

“I am delighted to serve as interim academic director of these programs,” Caldorera-Moore said. “It’s an honor to work alongside these exceptional faculty teams who are continuously striving to enhance and develop their programs.”

“I’m excited to continue the tradition of innovation that defines engineering and science education at Louisiana Tech, and I’m grateful to Drs. Mainardi, Murray, and Caldorera-Moore for their willingness to take on these new leadership roles,” Wick added. “Their experience and input will help shape the College in the 2023-24 academic year and beyond.”