The new dean of the College of Engineering and Sciences is looking to the future.
Since Bruce W. Berdanier became dean last July, he has been meeting with faculty and departments to start making long range plans for growth.
“Initially, we look at things we need based on our enrollment and where we are having a big growth, like in computer science and integrated human health,” he said. “We’re working to gain more faculty in areas like Biology and Chemistry, along with a department head for Mechanical and Civil Engineering.”
Currently Berdanier is focusing on funding equipment repairs for various programs as well.
The new dean arrived after the university shelved plans to merge the College of Engineering and Sciences with the College of Technology. But he believes the two colleges can benefit from significant collaboration.
“It’s good to put programs together that strengthen one another,” said Berdanier. “[Whether] the colleges merged or not we still share a lot of clubs, club advisors, and programs…. That will not change.”
The new dean got his master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue-West Lafayette and his doctorate in Environmental Engineering and Hydrogeology from The Ohio State University. He most recently served as the Lohr Endowed Dean of the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering at South Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brookings, South Dakota, and previously was dean of the School of Engineering at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut.
He said he is eager about PNW’s future.
“Coming … right now is a really exciting time,” he said. “I hear quantum computing is going to happen here, and there are a lot of really exciting things that people are talking about.
“The work we are doing here with our conventional sciences and especially with our CIVS center is huge, and it really can have an impact on de-carbonization, hydrogen fuels, and improving the environment,” said Berdanier.
Now he focuses on sharing his enthusiasm with students.
“I try to go out and talk to freshmen classes and let them know who I am and what the dean does,” said Berdanier. “I encourage them to get involved with student groups…then come to me so I can help fund the resources they need.” 
