Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Head Dan Stancil to step down, remain on faculty

I write today to inform you that, after 14 years of outstanding leadership as head of our Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Dan Stancil will be stepping down from his position at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. Fortunately for us, Dan will remain on the faculty in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering where he plans to invest additional energy in the growth of quantum engineering and science activities across the College and University.

Dan, who is also the Alcoa Distinguished Professor in ECE, has led the department since 2009 during which time he has led and overseen a remarkable period of achievement. During his tenure, the department has grown significantly in enrollment, faculty size, research expenditures and national and global rankings and recognition. The most recent Shanghai Ranking rated NC State as the eleventh-best institution in the world in electrical engineering and the latest ASEE data (2020) places the department’s research expenditures among the top 10 ECE programs in the country.

During his tenure, ECE faculty and the department have also led two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers – FREEDM and then ASSIST – at once. This made NC State one of only two universities to lead two NSF ERCs at the same time. Dan also played a key role in facilitating the growth and development of the PowerAmerica Institute and he now serves as executive director of the IBM Quantum Hub at NC State.

An active researcher, Dan’s career includes many significant scholarly and research accomplishments including recognition as an IEEE Fellow, serving as a past president of the IEEE’s Magnetics Society and also serving as a past president of the ECE Department Heads Association.

I want to offer my sincerest thanks to Dan for his leadership and commitment to the ECE Department, its students, faculty and staff over the past 14 years. While his leadership of the ECE Department will be greatly missed, we are fortunate that he will be staying on the ECE faculty and look forward to his contributions for years to come.

The plan is to appoint an interim department head for ECE for the 2023-2024 academic year and I anticipate being able to share more information regarding this appointment in the very near future.

Louis A. Martin-Vega
Dean of Engineering