Alumnus Simaan named interim dean at University of Central Florida

Most associate spring with blooming flowers and chirping birds, but any Illinois student or alum knows you’re just as likely to spend the spring marching through gloomy skies and freezing rain in Champaign-Urbana. And while there is a lot to love about Illinois, the weather has never been high on the list. For Marwan Simaan (PhD ’72), subzero temperatures and April snow showers are no longer a problem. Simaan was recently named interim dean for the College of Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando.

“When the Provost asked me to serve as interim Dean of the College as we started our Spring Semester in January, I saw in this an opportunity to serve the University and do whatever I can to enhance the stature of the College,” said Simaan.

Simaan received his bachelor’s degree with distinction from the American University of Beirut and his master’s from the University of Pittsburgh before coming to Illinois to pursue his PhD in electrical engineering. After graduating in 1972, Simaan stayed at Illinois for two years as a post-doctoral researcher and visiting assistant professor, teaching courses in signal processing and control systems. After working at Shell Development Company for two years, Simaan returned to the University of Pittsburgh, eventually serving as the department head of its electrical engineering department before leaving for UCF in 2008 as the Florida 21st Century Chair and Distinguished Professor.

“As interim dean, I hope to have some influence on where our college at UCF is heading. The college is a wonderful place with tremendous potential and opportunities for research and has outstanding faculty, students, and state of the art facilities,” said Simaan. “I will do whatever it takes to move our college into further national prominence.” UCF, which was founded in 1963, currently ranks fifth largest in the nation in enrollment and seventh on the list of “Up and Coming Universities,” according to U.S. News and World Report.

Despite taking over the day-to-day operations of the college, Simaan continues to work on several research projects, including one that is sponsored by the National Science Foundation on the development of a controller for a device called Left Ventricular Assist Device, or LVAD, which is often used on patients awaiting a heart transplant to assist their heart in pumping blood through the body until a donor heart becomes available. In recognition of his distinguished body of research, Simaan was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2000 and was recognized with the 2008 College of Engineering Award for Distinguished Service in Engineering.

“The education that I received at Illinois is very unique, and there’s nothing like it in this country, or even in the world, “said Simaan. “The courses you take, the research you do, and the appreciation for quality teaching and research you learn at Illinois all have contributed to me being where I am today. Without the University of Illinois, who knows where my career would have been today? Going to Illinois for my graduate studies was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life.”

And while Simaan speaks highly of his time at Illinois, he’s quick to point out the benefits of life in Orlando. “I love UCF and Orlando. The campus here is beautiful and many of the buildings are new and modern. There are palm trees and smiling students everywhere on campus,” said Simaan.

And the weather? “It’s great, especially in winter.” If only those in Illinois could be so lucky.