A dean candidate for the College of Engineering said Tuesday the college needed to focus on adapting to students’ needs.

Candidate Timothy Anderson spoke before faculty, staff and students at an open forum held Tuesday in Howe Hall. The forum gave Anderson a chance to share his personal qualifications and vision for Iowa State. Anderson is currently the associate dean of research and graduate programs and a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Anderson said a vision he has for the university is to be ranked in the top 20 in the nation for schools of engineering.

“To implement this, it’s going to happen at the faculty and staff level,” he said. “I think we can achieve that.”

Anderson said he believes the College of Engineering should strive to find areas of research to focus on and build a strong infrastructure around those areas.

Tom Rudolphi, professor of aerospace engineering, said he feels Anderson possesses qualifications suitable for the dean spot.

“In general, I think he is certainly a very viable candidate,” Rudolphi said. “Nothing he said I couldn’t get on board with. I think his background is very comprehensible and appropriate for leading the college of engineering.”

Charles Glatz, chairman and professor of chemical engineering, acknowledged Anderson’s achievements.

“His research has fit very well in the broad definition of scholarship,” Glatz said. “He has a record number of awards and honors, [including] four patents and 140 publications.”

Anderson is an alumnus of Iowa State and received his doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California-Berkeley, Glatz said.

Most of Anderson’s research in the field of engineering is conducted through the National Science Foundation, where he is part of the synthesis coalition. Most of his research focuses on finding ways to enable engineering students to succeed at the undergraduate level.

“Students are not always equipped with the skill set to make the transition [from high school to college],” Anderson said. “Success in the first semester is critical.”

Realizing this fact among engineering students at the University of Florida, Anderson has worked to help students gain a better understanding of the fundamentals in the field.