UI Engineering dean named president of prestigious college

Press-Citizen Staff Report
·1 min read

The University of Iowa College of Engineering will soon be on the hunt for a new dean.

Harriet Nembhard, the current dean, will be heading to points west. Specifically to Claremont, California where she will become head of highly ranked Harvey Mudd College.

"I'm excited to bring my passion for STEM education to Harvey Mudd College," said Nembhard said in a statement released Wednesday.

University of Iowa College of Engineering Dean Harriet Nembhard has been selected as the next president of Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California.
University of Iowa College of Engineering Dean Harriet Nembhard has been selected as the next president of Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California.

It's no coincidence. Nembhard is a leading voice on undergraduate STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — education. That's included National Science Foundation funding for research her research on improving undergraduate education.

It's also a bit of a homecoming for Nembhard, who started her undergraduate degree in engineering management as 16-year-old at nearby Claremont McKenna College, according to a statement from Harvey Mudd.

Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd are both members of the Claremont Colleges — seven highly selective undergraduate focused institutions in Claremont that share resources and allow cross-registration. Harvey Mudd was rated the nations 29th best liberal arts college by U.S. News & World Report in 2022.

Harvey Mudd is specifically focused on education students majoring in science and engineering disciplines.

"I'm also excited to join a college that is so deeply dedicated to inspiring its students to have a positive impact on society," she said.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: UI Engineering Dean Harriet Nembhard tapped by Harvey Mudd College