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AY2025-2026 Position 53269 Operation Research and Engineering Management: Professor and Endowed Department Chair
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Position Number: 5731578
Location: Dallas, TX
Position Type: Science - Computer Science

AY2025-2026 Position 53269 Operation Research and Engineering Management: Professor and Endowed Department Chair
Lyle School of Engineering

Location: Dallas, TX
Open Date: Oct 17, 2024

Description:
The Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University (SMU), led by the newly appointed visionary, Mary and Richard Templeton Dean, Nader Jalili, invites accomplished candidates for the position of Full Professor and Endowed Department Chair of Operations Research and Engineering Management (OREM). The successful candidate for chair of the department will also hold an endowed professorship with the anticipated start date of August 1, 2025.

The Lyle School of Engineering has embarked on an ambitious journey, successfully hiring 14 outstanding faculty members, including two department chairs, three center/institute executive directors, and several endowed professors during the 2023-24 academic year. Our culture of faculty growth thrives on innovation, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment.

We are committed to cutting-edge research funded by competitive federal grants, industry-funded projects and philanthropic gifts, which advances our academic goals and provides students with a competitive edge in the industry and/or academia. Our mission is to lead in the digital transformation of engineering education, equipping students with cutting-edge knowledge and skills to emerge as confident, capable leaders. Through excellence and innovation, we aim to significantly impact the engineering landscape and beyond.

The OREM department at SMU has experienced significant growth in faculty lines and research in the last several years. The department offers undergraduate degrees in Management Science (including the dual BS degree in Data Science-Management Science) and highly sought-after graduate degrees in Engineering Management (MS and DEng), Operations Research and Analytics (MS and PhD), and Systems Engineering (MS). The department is also home to MS in Engineering Entrepreneurship, a collaborative degree supported by Lyle School of Engineering and Cox School of Business. OREM's graduate degree programs attract significant interest from industry professionals in the DFW metroplex. Historically, 65 to 75% of the student body is made of graduate students. Coupled with the increasing externally funded research, the department is well poised to continue making a deep and lasting impact on the broader field of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) and Operations Research (OR). Our faculty are actively engaged in research programs that cover a wide spectrum of theoretical and applied areas, including Optimization Methods, Applied Probability, Stochastics, Machine Learning, the Interface of Operations Research and Data Science, Infrastructure and Engineered Systems, and Supply Chain and Service Systems. This diverse expertise forms a strong foundation, with a clear trajectory for expanding the department's impact across all areas of ISE that align with our mission and degree programs.

We are seeking a visionary leader to further elevate the department's intellectual, creative, and scholarly development. The successful candidate will hold an earned doctoral degree and have relevant academic experience, coupled with international recognition in their discipline(s). They will possess demonstrated excellence in technical, academic, and professional achievements, with a proven capacity for leadership. This is a unique opportunity for a dynamic leader who can inspire continued growth in cutting-edge research and innovation within Industrial and Systems Engineering, with a strong focus on expanding collaborations with federal agencies, industry, and other external partners.

More information about the department is available at https://www.smu.edu/Lyle/Academics/Departments/OREM

About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering

For nearly a century, Lyle has been nurturing exceptional engineers who are catalysts for global change. Our commitment to shaping bold leaders who innovate, pioneer, and tackle society's toughest challenges is unwavering. Embedded in our mindset is a culture of ingenuity that resonates through our research and curriculum. With an impressive 9:1 graduate student-to-faculty ratio, coupled with robust scholarship offerings, we are dedicated to fostering meaningful mentorship and breaking engineering stereotypes. Lyle has proudly earned the American Society for Engineering Education's Bronze Award for championing diversity and inclusivity. We celebrate a diverse student body, with close to 30% of our undergraduates identifying as an underrepresented group (Black and Hispanic/Latinx) in engineering and computer science. Additionally, we have a long-standing tradition of female enrollment that surpasses the national average, with approximately one-third of undergraduate students and over 25% of graduate students being women, showcasing our dedication to empowering female scholars at all levels. Our focus extends beyond campus, addressing critical global issues through groundbreaking research. Our five departments-Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Operation Research and Engineering Management, and Mechanical Engineering-drive impactful innovations beyond academia's boundaries.

Lyle School's acclaimed centers and institutes include the Darwin Deason Institute for Cyber Security, Hart Center for Engineering Leadership, Caruth Institute for Engineering Education, Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity, Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the newly established Center for Digital and Human-Augmented Manufacturing.

A New Era Beckons: In a resounding testament to our aspirations, SMU's pursuit of R1 status is bolstered by a recent landmark $20 million gift (https://www.smu.edu/ignited/news/gifts/templeton-lyle-gift-feb-2023) and $15 million investment on Initiative for Digital Innovation in Engineering and Computer Science (https://www.smu.edu/ignited/news/gifts/odonnell-gift-august-2023). These transformative endowments are pivotal in invigorating our research ecosystem, fostering interdisciplinary alliances to position Lyle as an authoritative force in artificial intelligence, human augmentation, digital transformation and innovation. Empowered by the Provost and Dean, the new faculty will be able to redefine engineering education for our swiftly evolving digital landscape, benefiting Dallas and the broader DFW area.

Our world-class research facilities are complemented by robust resources in high-performance scientific computing (see https://www.smu.edu/Provost/Data-Science-Institute/HPC).

Inclusive Excellence: We believe that equity and inclusion are essential components of our success as teachers and scholars. We seek colleagues who eagerly embrace SMU's central values of intellectual diversity, academic freedom, and the cultivation of cultural intelligence to teach, lead, and collaborate effectively with our students, colleagues, and stakeholders regardless of their backgrounds.

About SMU

SMU's more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University's small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem - paired with entrepreneurial drive - creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU's relationship with Dallas - the dynamic center of one of the nation's fastest-growing regions - offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

All applications should be submitted through Interfolio using the link below:

http://apply.interfolio.com/155999

Qualifications:
Qualifications for this position is an accomplished academic suitable for an endowed full professorship with an earned Ph.D. in the appropriate or a closely related discipline, with experience commensurate with the rank of full professor. The expertise will inspire and guide the next generation of trailblazers, bridging the gap between theory and real-world impact.

Application Instructions:
To apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/155999

Candidates are required to submit with their application a cover letter that includes research and teaching statements, a statement of leadership background and philosophy, Curriculum Vitae, and contact information for three professional references. Successful candidates will also present a vision for continued growth and development of the department. To ensure full consideration for the position, the application must be received by December 2, 2024. The committee will continue to accept applications until the position is filled and will notify applicants of its employment decisions after the position is filled. Hiring is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background check. The start date for this position is negotiable, but the desired start date is August 1, 2025.

SMU will not discriminate in any program or activity on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. The Assistant Vice President for Access and Equity/Title IX Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies and may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, accessequity@smu.edu.