An interview with David C. Munson, Jr.,14th Dean of the College of Engineering

By Byron Roberts

Dave Munson

Education: BS, electrical engineering (with distinction), University of Delaware, 1975; MS, MA, PhD, electrical engineering, Princeton University, 1977, 1977 and 1979

Experience: Robert C. MacClinchie DistinguishedProfessor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Research Professor, Coordinated Science Laboratory; and part-time faculty member, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois; 1979-2003. Texas Instruments Distinguished Visiting Professor at Rice University, 1999; Chair, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, 2003-2006.

Accomplishments: IEEE Fellow, IEEE Third Millennium Medal, Signal Processing Society Award; University of Illinois Electrical and Computer Engineering Outstanding Teaching Award; University of Delaware College of Engineering Outstanding Alumnus Award; past president, IEEE Signal Processing Society; founding editor-in-chief , IEEE Transactions on Image Processing.

Family: Wife (Nancy), 4 sons (David, Ryan, Mark, Jamie)

Hobbies: Antiques, woodworking, singing, hiking, canoeing, astronomy, landscaping, "fixing things"

Favorite places: Istanbul, Turkey; Grindlewald, Switzerland; U.S. and Canadian national parks; Michigan's Upper Peninsula and Lake Superior

What people might be surprised to know: Once played the Tin Man in the musical The Wizard of Oz

In July, David C. Munson, Jr., relinquished his position as chair of Michigan Engineering's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science to become Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering. He spoke with Michigan Engineer about himself and his vision for the College.

Q: Who is Dave Munson?

A: I'm a child of the post-Sputnik era. I grew up during the space race with the Soviet Union, and that probably ignited an intense interest in anything related to science. Math came easy to me, and I seemed to follow a natural path to electrical engineering. I became interested in digital signal processing when it was a new field. When I completed my PhD, I was equally interested in academia and industry. I decided to try academia, first, and I never escaped! I love teaching and working with students. I find research exciting. And I like inventing things. Much of my research is on imaging systems, especially synthetic aperture radar.

Q: What was the major turning point in your life, career-wise?

A: (chuckling) I had a rude awakening when I got to graduate school at Princeton - I found out that all of my classmates were top-notch, and it was going to take extra effort to stand out. I went on to learn that, with hard work and by associating with good people, I could do far more than I ever thought possible.

Q: And here you are, a dean…

A: I didn't necessarily expect to become a professor, probably not a department chair and definitely not a dean. But, as you say, here I am. That early Princeton experience gave me a sense of confidence that I carry with me to this day.

Q: What have you discovered, being the dean?

A: I made a point of visiting each of our 11 academic departments and I was stunned by the range of forward-looking, fascinating work that our faculty and students are doing. I'm more aware, now, of the great interaction we have with almost every other school and college at the University. And I've been surprised at how much time I need to spend in Fleming! (The University's Fleming Administration Building)

Q: What makes the University of Michigan different?

A: What's The Michigan Difference? It's a combination of things. It's our quality - we truly have premier people and facilities. It's our scale - we have vast resources that enable our students and faculty to accomplish things that otherwise wouldn't be possible. Most engineering courses are taught by faculty rather than teaching assistants. We can provide an unusually broad variety of opportunities. For instance, Michigan Engineering students can spend a term or semester overseas - the number of students who do that has gone up 237 percent in the last five years - and that's important because engineering is a global discipline. Having 11 academic departments opens up a lot of avenues for students and faculty.

I love the fact that we have so many student project teams because they offer what I call "the other half of education" - they teach students to how apply the engineering and teamwork skills they learn in the classroom. We promote a spirit of invention. And we have units, such as the University's Ross School of Business, to shepherd entrepreneurial programs. This is an amazing place - there really is a Michigan difference.

Q: What are some of your priorities for this year?

A: We need to stay on top of the construction of the Michigan Nanofabrication Facility. When it's complete, it'll be one of the most comprehensive and advanced facilities for research in nanotechnology, semiconductor device and circuit fabrication, microsystems and MEMS technologies - it'll take us far beyond our current capabilities, which are already among the best in the world.

The University-wide energy initiative is high on my list - the feature story in this issue will tell you all about it - and the new Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute is important. Our faculty researchers will be well represented there.

I'm planning to increase our emphasis on economic development. We have the ability - and it's in our best interest - to help the American auto industry and the auto industry in general. We'll also spend more time thinking about how we can help the state of Michigan diversify its economy. Google's coming to town, and we need to bring other industries to our area. I'm looking forward to speaking with government and corporate leaders to discuss how Michigan Engineering can help do this.

Q: What keeps you awake at night?

A: I think about how we can maintain our standard of excellence, given the challenges of state funding for public universities. I'm very concerned about tuition increases, but I know there are no easy answers. I'm concerned about the availability of corporate and foundation support. And I lose a good deal of sleep wondering how to divide my time among alumni and friends, students, faculty, staff and other administrators - it's a difficult thing to do effectively, but it's a key part of getting the best input available to make decisions that will help us maintain our reputation as a dynamic, world-class institution

Q: What kind of stamp will your personality put on the College?

A: I like people. In a place the size of the College of Engineering, it's easy to lose our sense of community. So there's a distinct value in increasing connections among people across campus. We're already planning a few events that'll bring people out of their shells and give them a chance to be not so serious for a few hours, get them talking. And I want students to keep talking after they graduate; I don't want them to feel that they've left this place behind. I want the alumni-student connection to include current students, recent students and former students - I want them all to be family.

Q: How can alumni help?

A: I'd love to have alumni return to campus and talk about their experiences - there are a lot of opportunities to do this with student groups and societies. I'd like every student to have a mentor - I had one, my Princeton PhD advisor, Bede Liu. He was the consummate gentleman and a terrific example of brilliance, hard work and accomplishment - he made a huge difference in my life. Every student should have a similar influence. Alumni can help fill those shoes.

I'm hoping that those alums who've benefited from their Michigan Engineering education and have the means to give something back will do exactly that. That's what Michigan Engineering is all about. That's what I'm all about.