The College of Engineering has named a new assistant dean of engineering, a new position within the college.

Howard Shapiro, professor of mechanical engineering, was appointed the assistant dean of engineering for undergraduate programs. He assumed his position on Jan. 1.

“I’m going to be essentially in charge of promoting and working toward the college’s goals for the undergraduate programs,” Shapiro said.

He will also be supervising three groups within the college.

They include the engineering student services, the engineering computing service and the classification office.

Shapiro said his real focus will be on curriculum and instruction.

“I think it’s a great challenge to work on making our curriculum and instruction to be known as the best it can possibly be,” he said.

Shapiro joined the university in 1975 as an assistant professor.

He became a full professor in 1989. Since 1990, Shapiro has directed the ISU Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Center and has also been the co-director of ISU’s Center for Building Energy Research since 1991.

Also active in the Ames community, Shapiro has been an elected member of the Ames School Board since 1988.

He served as its president from 1993 until 1995.

“I’m happy that I was given this vote of confidence and I’m excited about the challenge,” Shapiro said. “I think the college has an excellent administrative team and I’m happy to be part of that.”

James Melsa, dean of engineering, said he is very excited about Shapiro’s appointment.

“He’s been very involved both with his role on the Ames School Board and with teaching activities,” Melsa said.

Melsa said Shapiro will be helping the educational experience for all engineering students. “He’s very interested in just the whole study of how students learn and making that better,” he said.

The engineering department has published a set of 30 goals that they hope to accomplish by the year 2000.

Shapiro is expected to be involved in achieving those goals and providing leadership along the way.

Melsa said Shapiro “will be working with the dean and the two associate deans, providing leadership in a number of initiatives.”

Shapiro said he wants to expand the Project Learn program. The program is designed to make teaching more effective.

The College of Engineering has taken the initiative to work with the College of Education to improve teaching.

“I feel really good about it because of the focus on learning that the college has done,” Shapiro said.