Mississippi State University has named David Ford as the new dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Starting in the position on March 1, Ford will also hold the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Jr. Endowed Chair in Engineering in addition to his deanship.
Ford’s appointment follows the departure of former Bagley College of Engineering Dean Jason Keith, who recently took up the role of provost at Iowa State University. Robert Green, a longstanding administrator and faculty member at the Bagley College of Engineering, served as interim dean during the transition and was not a candidate for the permanent position.
MSU Executive Vice President and Provost David Shaw expressed his appreciation for Green’s leadership during the transition period and highlighted Ford’s potential impact. In a statement from the Office of Public Affairs, Shaw commented on Ford’s ability to take the helm and how Shaw thinks he will lead the Bagley College of Engineering.
“Dr. Ford brings a wealth of experience to the Bagley College of Engineering and has a great vision to lead students, faculty, and staff to maximize their potential,” Shaw said in the statement. “I expect he will also leverage research, education and economic development opportunities to achieve new heights in MSU engineering initiatives on campus, throughout Mississippi and around the globe. David demonstrates the opportunity for next-level leadership in our engineering program.”
Ford is coming to MSU from Central Michigan University, where he served as the dean of the College of Science and Engineering. He holds doctoral and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.
Ford has a range of expertise from previous positions at several universities, including Texas A&M University, the University of Massachusetts and the University of Arkansas. He has held positions as an associate dean, department head, professor and graduate and undergraduate program director.
Ford discussed his goals for the Bagley College of Engineering, emphasizing his commitment to raising the institution’s status for the future and sharing his hopes for how he will be remembered.
“If I could sum it up in one sentence, I hope to leave it in a better place than when I started,” Ford said.
Ford also shared his favorable first impressions during his campus visit, reinforcing his decision to accept the position.
“When I visited, I was just really impressed with it all,” Ford said. “I met somebody from almost everywhere in the university, from Dr. Keenum to Dr. Shaw, down to the current leadership of the college, to faculty and staff and students, and I was just really impressed with what people are doing, and everybody’s just, in addition to being smart and being capable and doing great things, just very nice and hospitable.”
Expanding on his vision for the college, Ford emphasized the potential for growth and innovation.
“I’d actually like to grow [the college], you know, maybe look at some new directions in terms of AI, cybersecurity and some other key areas,” Ford said, “and maybe focus a little bit on the interdisciplinary areas as well.”
Scott Grawe, chair of the Dean Search Committee and dean of the College of Business, detailed the comprehensive selection process.
“We were very careful about making sure that everybody on the committee had a chance to voice their opinions,” Grawe said. “We also asked a number of different stakeholder groups to come to panel sessions and group meetings with each of the candidates, and then we sent a survey out to make sure that we could get their feedback to make sure they had a chance to weigh in on the viability of each candidate.”
Grawe noted Ford’s suitability for the role based on his approach during the selection process.
“I think to make it successful he listens and he’s eager to learn,” Grawe said. “He asked a lot of really good questions when he was here. I think in order to be successful as a dean, you’ve got to be good at building relationships and communicating both within the college and across other colleges as well. And he seemed to bring some valuable skills in those areas.”
The Bagley College of Engineering is the largest college at Mississippi State and is expected to grow even more in the years ahead. Ford said he hopes to continue this growth and will use every opportunity to ensure that Mississippi State’s Bagley College of Engineering stands out.