Sridhar Santhanam, PhD, Named Vice Dean of College of Engineering

Sridhar Santhanam, PhD, professor and chair of Mechanical Engineering, has been selected as the inaugural vice dean of the College of Engineering, effective Jan. 1. In this newly created role, Dr. Santhanam will facilitate College operations and work closely with the leadership team of associate deans, external relations, and strategic initiatives, while helping to support College-level academic programs.

A member of the Mechanical Engineering faculty since 1989, Dr. Santhanam has served as department chair since Fall 2018. Under his leadership, the department has experienced a growth in stature, through the hiring of six new faculty members, the promotion of seven others, and an increase in research publications, research expenditures, and PhD students.

Additionally, Dr. Santhanam has overseen new industry sponsorships of capstone design projects, upgrades in equipment for student laboratories and makerspaces, and increased opportunities for undergraduate research through the ME Research Scholars program. During his tenure, and with his support, junior faculty members in Mechanical Engineering have been recognized with three early career awards, from the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and U.S. Air Force.

Dr. Santhanam’s own research focuses on the mechanics of multifunctional materials, structural health monitoring, and ultrasonics, and has been supported by grants and contracts from the NSF, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force, and NASA. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, and his master’s and PhD from Arizona State University. He is the director of the Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials Processing and a member of the College’s Materials and Manufacturing research cluster. For the Spring 2025 semester, Dr. Santhanam will continue his work as chair of Mechanical Engineering while a search for a new chair is conducted.

“Over the past several years, the role of dean has evolved into one that requires an increased amount of time on external affairs, such as fostering corporate connections, engaging alumni, increasing philanthropy, and serving on national boards,” said Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering. “The Vice Dean position was created in response to this shift, to assist in maintaining the appropriate balance between external expectations of the dean and internal operations of the College.

“Dr. Santhanam’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and academic excellence will serve him well in this role,” Dean Marcolongo added, “as will his dedication to Villanova’s values of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas.”