Prith Banerjee, prospective dean for the College of Engineering, stressed Wednesday the importance of graduate engineering programs at Iowa State and their ties to the college’s national ranking.

“[Graduate] rankings are tied to graduate programs and research,” he said. “Undergraduate rankings are tied to graduate rankings.”

Banerjee said if the college placed emphasis on a few areas of engineering and excelled in them, its national ranking would climb.

“We should strive for selective excellence,” he said.

“We should build on areas of strength and predict areas of growth in the future and grow with them. We should look to where the big guys … are not investing.”

Banerjee is currently professor and chairman of electrical and computer engineering at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and is the founder of AccelChip Inc.

He said these qualifications have prepared him for a high-level position such as college dean.

“I know how the business world works, what real-world problems are, and how businesses view academia,” he said.

Banerjee cited the need for strong ties to industry to help the college through its financial crunch.

He said he would like to see the college keep up its current momentum for research funding. He also said he wants the college to play an active role in placing graduating students with top companies in the industry.

“If we place students with top companies, we can then look to those companies for [financial] support,” he said.

James Oliver, associate professor of mechanical engineering, said he was impressed with Banerjee’s presentation.

“He has some good ideas for improving the college,” he said.

“I liked that he said he believes we are better than our ranking. I think he would make a great dean, and we would be lucky to have him.”

If selected as dean, Banerjee said he would make use of emerging technology in education through strong labs, team-based learning and undergraduate research projects.

He said he would also like to see engineering students leave Iowa State with strong design and communication skills.

“The future of engineering is very bright but is going through many changes,” Banerjee said. “Interdisciplinary training needs are breaking down the traditional barriers of [engineering] departments.”

Banerjee also placed emphasis on faculty recruitment, promotion, and retention.

“We should recruit top interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary faculty,” he said.

“We should promote the highest quality faculty and retain and reward current faculty. We also need to encourage diversity.”

Banerjee said he would also like to develop a marketing plan for the college to help it recruit top students and faculty.

George Burnet, distinguished professor of chemical engineering and former interim dean for the College of Engineering, said he was impressed by Banerjee’s preparation.

“He gave a more detailed and imaginative plan than any other candidate,” he said.

“His ideas are realistic and doable. He handled the question session well and gave relevant answers.”

Burnet said he wished Banerjee had focused more on alumni and industry relations.

“He needs to be able to meet people well and be willing to travel,” he said.

“A good dean should spend 40 percent of his or her time developing alumni and industry relationships.”