Introducing Our New Associate Dean

Dr. Nandika D’Souza, a dynamic leader in increasing student success and spearheading collaborative initiatives, is now associate dean for strategic initiatives in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas.

D’Souza was most recently the associate dean for academic and student affairs for the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas, where she led a university-wide task force on developing a student-centered experience for graduate students, increased undergraduate student retention through cross-university partnerships and oversaw the creation of a new, singular system of student support with multiple campus stakeholders, among other signature achievements. Her appointment at UT Dallas, including being a professor of mechanical engineering, began this summer.

“The Jonsson School is a research leader in various areas, so it is as crucial we also lead when it comes to instilling a passion for lifelong learning in all of our students,” said Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, dean of the Jonsson School, holder of the Lars Magnus Ericsson Chair and professor of systems engineering. “The work Nandika has done over the course of her career to date has illustrated a fervent belief in the value of encouraging growth and opening students’ eyes to the possibilities academia can offer.

“That passion, coupled with her visibility in the mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering communities, and her advocacy for broadening participation in engineering and computer science, makes her an exemplary fit for this position.”

D’Souza’s career to date includes multiple awards for impact and education from the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) as well as a Distinguished Service Award from the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN), research leadership awards from UNT and being a fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

The blend of academic accomplishment and administrative achievement has been a constant throughout D’Souza’s educational and professional journey, making her transition to the Jonsson School, itself a major driver of rapid growth at UT Dallas — one of the fastest-growing public doctoral universities in the country over the past 10 years, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education — an ideal match of individual and institution.

“The organizational design of universities works well when academic affairs partners with faculty to enable a contemporary workforce,” D’Souza said. “When one can pair academic affairs, such as curricular development and research, to grow experiences for students, it’s a win for them and industry.”

Collaboration and Innovation

D’Souza’s extensive experience in centering students within the collegiate ecosystem and passion for enabling lifelong learning aligns with the position of associate dean for strategic initiative’s stated goals of promoting an environment where all members of the academic community have an equal opportunity to succeed and feel a sense of belonging, as well as helping build a bridge between internal and external partners, growing professional, undergraduate and graduate certification programs.

In joining the Jonsson School, D’Souza is continuing the collaborative, innovative work she has made the focal point of her academic and professional career, reaching across the gap between the classroom and the workplace to ensure all parties involved are enriched by their interactions.

Among other highlights, D’Souza has helped grow dual enrollment pathways for students at seven community colleges in Texas and two in Oklahoma, Texas Woman’s University and high school to Honors College to attain degrees in undergraduate, fast-track masters and doctoral programs; has expanded undergraduate research fellowships with proactive pairing of high research active faculty by 110% for the years prior to and following the COVID-19 pandemic, and created clear expectations for graduate students in professional, dual major-stackable certificate, non-thesis, thesis and dissertation programs.

“These efforts have transformed the university experience through extensive collaboration,” D’Souza said.

“The Jonsson School is a research leader in various areas, so it is as crucial we also lead when it comes to instilling a passion for lifelong learning in all of our students. The work Nandika has done over the course of her career to date has illustrated a fervent belief in the value of encouraging growth and opening students’ eyes to the possibilities academia can offer. That passion, coupled with her visibility in the mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering communities and her advocacy for broadening participation in engineering and computer science, makes her an exemplary fit for this position.”

— Dr. Stephanie G. Adams
Jonsson School Dean and Lars Magnus Ericsson Chair

Helping Stimulate Continued Learning

D’Souza spent 28 years at UNT, during which time she was primarily affiliated with the College of Engineering. For the entirety of her tenure at UNT, D’Souza served as faculty within the Department of Materials Science, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, or Mechanical and Energy Engineering.

“My teaching philosophy is to spark curiosity, increase self-confidence through scaling the complexity of the activity over the degree and semester, develop flexible equitable systems of learning and harness the passions of the student’s interests to stimulate a life of continued learning and accomplishment,” D’Souza said.

She advised 15 doctoral students, 24 masters students and 49 undergraduate students to conduct research in polymers and composites. D’Souza also formed and advised new chapters for SPEs, The Society for the Advanced Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE®), Materials Research Society (MRS), Material Advantage and the SWE, plus advised The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Additionally, she launched an Honors Garden with Sigma Xi, Pi Tau Sigma, Eta Kappa Nu and Alpha Sigma Mu.

In 2015, D’Souza was named a Regents Professor, a designation conferred at UNT for “demonstrated excellence in all three aspects of teaching, research and service to the professional community.”

D’Souza’s research work has focused largely on helping to make the building industry more efficient and eco-friendlier, as well as helping strengthen buildings for changing climates. As a result of her focus, D’Souza has earned over $7 million in research grants to date, with studies around tunable thermal conductivity, dielectric strength biobased molding compounds and die-attach adhesives, among the more than 30 projects she’s undertaken thus far in her career.

In parallel to her teaching and research portfolios, D’Souza, in her various administrative roles, served as the associate dean for academic affairs, associate dean of undergraduate programs and a Regents Professor for UNT’s College of Engineering, as well as the associate chair of UNT’s Mechanical and Energy Engineering Department.

She supervised engineering offices of undergraduate and graduate programs charged with recruiting, retention, advising and student success for 11 master’s and five doctoral graduate programs and 10 undergraduate programs; created the “You Belong in Research” program to actively guide undergraduate and graduate students on options, application packages, networking strategies, writing for external scholarship and research internship opportunities; built a Faculty Fellow program to engage students in undergraduate levels to receive mentorship, research, external internships, study abroad opportunities and industry certifications and paired the requirements of The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requirements; and grew undergraduate research fellowships with the honors college by 110 percent over three years, engaging faculty mentors within and external to the College of Engineering.

“My experience working on pathways from schools and community colleges to engineering and computer science; service on national, state and regional committees; and training in a range of workforce initiatives has prepared me for this position in the Jonsson School,” D’Souza said. “This success was enabled through teaming with a range of institutional departments. I see the rewards of bridging research and education reflected in the grants for workforce development being awarded to a UT Dallas faculty that have extraordinary research credibility. Thus, this is an exciting time to create the organizational frameworks to serve students and faculty at UTD.”