University of Maryland Names Dr. Samuel Graham, Jr. Dean of the Clark School of Engineering

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland has named Samuel Graham, Jr. dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering, effective October 1, 2021. As dean, Graham will provide leadership and vision for the Clark School, while sharing the school’s mission with students, faculty, staff, alumni, public agencies, and supporters, and fostering an environment of excellence in teaching and learning.

“I am honored to be appointed dean of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering, a research powerhouse and home to world-class faculty, staff and students,” said Graham. “I look forward to contributing to its legacy of excellence and leading the next generation of diverse Terrapin engineers poised to improve our world through innovations in technology.”

Appointed in 2018, Graham currently serves as the Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. Chair of the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a courtesy appointment in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech and a joint appointment with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He joined the George W. Woodruff School in 2003 and was promoted to professor in 2013.

“Please join me in congratulating Dr. Samuel Graham, Jr. as the new dean of the A. James Clark School of Engineering and welcoming him to the University of Maryland. He brings an outstanding record of success in academic leadership and engineering research and aligns with our vision for excellence and an unwavering commitment to a multicultural campus,” said UMD’s Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Ann G. Wylie. “I have every confidence that Dr. Graham is the best person to lead our Clark School of Engineering students, faculty and staff into the future.”

Graham’s research centers on the development of electronics made from wide bandgap semiconductors for a range of applications in communications, power electronics and neuromorphic computing. His research is focused on engineering the electrothermal response of the devices in order to enhance heat dissipation and improve device reliability. In addition, he is creating physics-based models and unique experimental tools for verification that will enable the optimization and digital engineering of these electronics. Through his work with DOE National Laboratories, he is also developing thermal storage materials for use in building energy systems.

Prior to joining the faculty at Georgia Tech, Graham was a Senior Member of Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratory in Livermore, California. Over the years, he has served as a member of the Defense Science Study Group, a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and was the recipient of a National Science Foundation CAREER Award. Presently, he serves on the Advisory Board of the Engineering Science Research Foundation of Sandia National Laboratories and the Emerging Technologies Technical Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Commerce. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

To fill this critical position, a national search was launched after the school’s former dean Darryll J. Pines was appointed the 34th President of the University of Maryland. Robert Briber has since served and provided excellent leadership as interim dean of the Clark School.

Graham earned his B.S. from Florida State University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech.