Dean's letter – February 2026

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to meet with our Congressional representatives, bringing them up to speed on our work in the areas of nanofabrication, water resiliency, earthquake testing, cybersecurity and other areas critical to our nation’s health and security. The visit strengthened our federal partnerships, but they also allowed me to reflect on our impact across the community and the country. From water resiliency projects — such as the one illustrated in the “Water Masters” documentary — to the steady output of our research centers, we strive to make a difference across many engineering disciplines.

On another big-picture note, Nevada Engineering last month made its first appearance in U.S. News & World Report’s online program ranking. Currently, we offer an online master’s degree program in cybersecurity as well as selected online engineering courses, and we remain mindful that online learning is now a mainstream pathway in U.S. higher education. More online offerings are being considered to expand our offerings and improve access to learners across the state and beyond.

At the college level, we graduated 188 students in December. That was my first graduation ceremony as dean, and my first time presiding over the college’s Order of the Engineer ceremony. It’s truly gratifying to see a new batch of engineers launch into the world, and I hope that you, our alumni, remember that special time in your academic careers with pride.

I also want to highlight departmental changes within our college. Dr. Bahram Parvin is the new chair of the Electrical & Biomedical Engineering Department, and Dr. Shamik Sengupta will begin serving as chair of the Computer Science & Engineering Department on July 1. I especially want to recognize the service of former and outgoing department chairs, Dr. Sami Fadali and Dr. Eelke Folmer. The role of departmental chair is demanding but essential to the college’s success, and I am grateful for their dedication and commitment.

The success of Nevada Engineering, I believe, is our common goal. To that end, we continue to work on our new strategic plan, of which we plan to share details later this year. I also encourage you to support Nevada Engineering on Giving Day, April 9. This 24-hour fundraising drive helps sustain our students and faculty and is vital to our continued success.

Sincerely,

Dean Tom Weller
College of Engineering
University of Nevada, Reno