Syracuse Sun

Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Gretchen Ritter announced today that J. Cole Smith has been reappointed to a five-year term as dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS). The decision follows a comprehensive review process incorporating feedback from ECS faculty, staff, and advisory board members.

“In Cole’s nearly five years as dean, the College of Engineering and Computer Science has grown stronger on multiple counts and made great strides towards reaching a new level of excellence,” Provost Ritter stated. “This is an exciting time for the college, and I can think of no better leader to shepherd the students, faculty, staff, and alumni into this new era.”

Smith assumed leadership of ECS in October 2019. His tenure has included significant achievements for the college. A major renovation introduced new lab spaces and the Allyn Innovation Center, modernizing ECS facilities. The pending Campos Student Center, supported by a recent $2 million gift secured with Smith's assistance, will further enhance the college's physical space.

Smith also oversaw the establishment of the Syracuse University Center for Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing. This interdisciplinary center integrates expertise in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, manufacturing processes, optimization, and robotics to advance semiconductor manufacturing science. Additionally, he launched a new master’s degree program in operations research and system analytics alongside a signature co-op program.

Under Smith's leadership, ECS research expenditures increased by 30% during the 2022-2023 academic year compared to 2019 levels. Enrollment, faculty size, and staff size are projected to grow by 50% over the next four years under Smith's development plan. He also guided the college towards achieving bronze-level status in the American Society for Engineering Education’s Diversity Recognition Program.

“Engineering and Computer Science is driving regional, national and international growth in areas such as advanced manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, healthcare engineering, advanced computing technologies and materials science,” Smith said. “I have never been a part of a more exciting moment at the nexus of college, University, city and national growth. What we are doing here matters and will resonate for decades to come.”

Before joining Syracuse University, Smith was associated with Clemson University where he served as associate provost for academic initiatives and chair of the Department of Industrial Engineering. His research focuses on integer programming and combinatorial optimization among other areas. In 2023, he was named an Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) fellow.