Dr. Patrick Fox

Ohio University Executive Vice President and Provost Dr. Elizabeth Sayrs has named Dr. Patrick Fox as dean of the Russ College of Engineering and Technology.

Fox at present serves because the division head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and because the John A. and Harriette Ok. Shaw Professor within the College of Engineering at Penn State University.

Fox will start his position as dean of the Russ College on July 17, 2023.

“Dr. Patrick Fox is a highly respected educator whose experience, research expertise and strategic leadership will greatly benefit the Russ College,” Provost Sayrs stated. “This is an exciting time for the Russ College and Ohio University, and I am looking forward to working with Dr. Fox.”

Before accepting his present management position at Penn State in 2015, Fox served as a professor of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering within the Department of Structural Engineering on the University of California-San Diego and held tenured educational appointments at a number of universities together with Purdue University, Ohio State University and the University of California-Los Angeles.

Dr. Fox has received quite a few awards for instructing, analysis and repair in his profession, and his broad-based analysis actions have led to greater than 250 revealed technical papers and greater than $24 million in analysis funding from federal, state, business, and college sources.  He served as Chief Editor for the main Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering and as president of the Geo-Institute for the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2020.

Originally from Lancaster, Ohio, Fox obtained his doctorate in civil and environmental engineering with an emphasis in geotechnical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He holds a grasp of science diploma from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor of science diploma from the University of Cincinnati.

“I am honored to step into this leadership role and excited to work with faculty, staff, and stakeholders to create opportunities for the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, including plans to strengthen the research enterprise and deliver an outstanding educational experience to its students,” Fox stated.

The search committee was chaired by Dr. Jackie Rees-Ulmer, dean of the College of Business, and Dr. Issam Khoury, affiliate professor of civil engineering.  

“I’m grateful to the search committee for his or her diligent and considerate work all through the search course of,” Provost Sayrs stated. “They identified an outstanding pool of candidates who brought forth strong visions for leading the Russ College.”

Fox will observe Interim Dean Dr. Maj Mirmirani, who was named to the position in July 2022.

“I am grateful to Dr. Mirmirani for his outstanding leadership as interim dean during the last year,” Sayrs stated. “The Russ College has continued to grow and increase its national reputation under his leadership, and I appreciate his commitment to the college and its success.”