The Ohio State University has appointed Indian American engineer and academic Balasubramaniam Shanker interim dean of its College of Engineering. His appointment takes effect Aug. 1.
Shanker currently chairs Ohio State’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and holds the Elizabeth and John Tinkham Endowed Professorship in Engineering. He succeeds Ayanna Howard, who is leaving Ohio State to become president of Spelman College.
Since joining Ohio State in 2022, Shanker has led efforts to expand research, strengthen educational programs and improve student preparation. Under his leadership, the electrical and computer engineering department recorded increased research expenditures, improved its national standing and graduated approximately one doctoral student per tenure-track faculty member.
The department also welcomed its largest incoming undergraduate class, more than doubling undergraduate enrollment since 2022. It introduced microcredential programs for students and working professionals, including a track focused on technology entrepreneurship, while expanding international research collaboration
As interim dean, Shanker plans to build on Ohio State’s strengths in artificial intelligence, microelectronics, autonomous systems and health care. He has also emphasized creating academic systems that help undergraduate and graduate students develop professional expertise while managing the financial burden of their education.
Before joining Ohio State, Shanker spent two decades on the faculty at Michigan State University. He was named a University Distinguished Professor in 2017 and held leadership roles related to graduate education, research and computational science. His earlier academic career included positions at Iowa State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Shanker is internationally recognized for research in computational electromagnetics and the application of computational science to Maxwell’s equations. He has authored or co-authored more than 450 journal and conference papers and was elected an IEEE Fellow in 2010.
He earned his undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and completed his master’s and doctoral degrees at Pennsylvania State University.
Key Takeaways About Balasubramaniam Shanker
- He will become interim dean of Ohio State Engineering on Aug. 1.
- He currently chairs the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
- His department expanded enrollment, research activity and professional programs.
- He has published more than 450 journal and conference papers.
- He is an IIT Madras graduate and an IEEE Fellow.
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