|
 |
Keystone Professor Harry Dankowicz |
|
Keystone Professor Harry Dankowicz has rejoined the faculty of the University of Maryland’s (UMD) Department of Mechanical Engineering as a full-time professor, after having led far-reaching initiatives as chair of the department.
Dankowicz spearheaded a new strategic plan, hired new faculty, promoted faculty and staff recognitions, and strengthened democratic processes within the department, among other steps designed to catapult UMD Mechanical Engineering to new heights.
"We're fortunate that Harry brought his energy and ideas to ME, and the department will continue benefitting from them," said Clark School Dean Samuel Graham. "As chair, he was a driving force in helping the department continue its forward progress during a challenging time in higher education. He also led the development of the department's strategic plan and, as part of it, hired faculty who are already making outstanding contributions to our students, school, and profession.”
Professor Patrick McCluskey, who has been appointed interim chair, noted Dankowicz’s transformative impact.
“I was impressed with Harry's innovative ideas to move the department to the next level in teaching, research, and community outreach, and his energy and enthusiasm in implementing them,” McCluskey said.
Professor Hosam Fathy said Dankowicz strengthened the department’s core foundations.
“He hired outstanding faculty and thoughtfully revamped the department’s policies. He approached space and facility modernization with tremendous attention to detail. Most importantly, he navigated academia’s evolving funding landscape with both courage and deep commitment to the collective good.”
“It was a pleasure having Harry as chair, and an honor to continue to have him as a colleague and world-class nonlinear system dynamics researcher,” Fathy said.
Under Dankowicz’s leadership, the department sustained its position as one of the nation’s top 20 mechanical engineering programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The most recent U.S. News & World Report undergraduate rankings placed the department at #18 overall and #9 among programs at public universities. At the graduate level, the department is #17 overall and #9 among publics.
Dankowicz strengthened the ranks of UMD’s world-class mechanical engineering faculty through hires such as Lin Cheng, whose research interests include scientific AI and additive manufacturing; Ashutosh Giri; who conducts research on nanomaterials and nanoscale thermal transport; and Lingnan Lin, an expert on fundamental phase-change heat and mass transfer. Dankowicz also facilitated the latter stages of the hiring process for Clark Faculty Fellow Alban Sauret, who joined the department earlier in 2025. Meanwhile, he promoted several faculty members through the ranks and established an honors and awards committee to boost faculty recognition, while also supporting faculty in achieving that recognition.
Professor Elisabeth Smela, whose selection as Wilson H. Elkins Professor was announced this fall, said Dankowicz “was instrumental in my nomination for the award, enthusiastically supporting me and providing helpful advice. He put considerable time and thought into it, which I really appreciated.”
Dankowicz also appointed successors to Professor Reinhard Radermacher and Professor Emeritus Davinder Anand, respective founding directors of the Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) and the Center for Engineering Concepts Development (CECD). He helped facilitate business development efforts for the Center for Risk and Reliability (CRR) and designated resources to complete construction on new testing chambers in the CEEE Daikin Energy Innovation Laboratory.
Dylan Hazelwood, CECD’s assistant director, said Dankowicz worked to build partnerships and sought out new avenues for growth.
“Harry took the initiative to create a new industry-focused business development function within the department, while also advancing opportunities for broader faculty collaboration and research expansion. In addition, he enabled CECD’s Trailblazers pilot funding program, which spurred faculty to explore innovative and emerging research areas,” he said.
As an engineer, applied mathematician, and physicist who also holds a master’s degree in journalism, Dankowicz brought a keen awareness of the importance of strategic communications to his role as chair. He helped grow the use of modern approaches, including visual storytelling, to the communication of the department’s distinctive strengths, the impactful work being done by faculty, and the relevance of that work to society and the public good.
“Being able to facilitate and share widely the success of the students, faculty, and staff of the UMD Department of Mechanical Engineering was both a great honor and a humbling experience,” Dankowicz said. “It is the highest calling, that of offering service to others without regard for personal gain, and I am grateful for having had the opportunity.”
December 19, 2025
|
