Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced the appointment of Dr. Wei Zhao as dean of the School of Science. Zhao, who is currently senior associate vice president for research at Texas A&M University, will take over the position from acting dean Samuel C. Wait Jr. in January 2007.

Also a professor of computer science, Zhao worked on the long-term strategic plan in accordance with the Texas A&M Vision 2020 campaign, supervised the Office of Sponsored Research and the Office of Compliance, directed the Institute of Telecommunication and Information Technology, and led the campuswide homeland security initiative that was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for more than $17 million. 

In 2005, Zhao became director of the Division of Computer and Network Systems at the National Science Foundation. Last year, his division processed more than 2,500 proposals and awarded research grants of more than $190 million, comprising 80 percent of total federal research funding in the area of computer and network systems.

“Dr. Zhao is an outstanding leader with an expansive vision for the School of Science,” said Acting Provost Robert Palazzo. “He brings his considerable skills and experience to Rensselaer at a time when many new faculty have joined the Institute, research awards are growing, student quality is improving, and we are moving boldly into new fields that will be critically important in the 21st century.” 

Zhao served as a senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide in Australia from 1988-1990, at which time he joined Texas A&M as an associate professor. He was tenured the following year, appointed to full professor, and then appointed head of the Department of Computer Science, one of the largest computer science departments in the nation. In his four years as department head, Zhao helped create three new laboratories, grow research funding from $1 million to more than $4 million annually, and recruit a number of talented junior faculty members. In addition, the department saw a substantial improvement in the U.S. News & World Report rankings during his tenure.

During an active career in computer science research, Zhao has published more than 250 papers in journals, conferences, and book chapters. His area of interest spans real-time computing systems, real-time communications systems and networks, security in networks, and techniques to camouflage networks. 

Zhao received his bachelor’s degree in physics from the Shaanxi Normal University in 1977; and a master’s degree in computer science in 1982 and a doctorate in computer science in 1986, both from the University of Massachusetts.

Contact: Jason Gorss
Phone: (518) 276-6098
E-mail: gorssj@rpi.edu