In this episode, Abbie and Bassam also discussed Dr. Assanis’ inclusive outlook: on both engineering and the arts, learning and faith, and diversity and affordability in higher education. Assanis also recognized the good work that has happened at the University and expressed his hope to build on that work:
“In an inclusive intellectual environment where diversity is celebrated, we have a historic opportunity to seize the momentum that UD has built.”
He was chosen from a pool of more than 50 highly qualified candidates, and will be assuming office on July 1, 2016.
Listen to the interview
Dr. Dennis Assanis (recorded 11/18/15, aired 11/19/15)
28:30
27.4 MB
About our guest
Dr. Dennis Assanis has served as the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Stony Brook University and the Vice President for Brookhaven National Laboratory Affairs since 2011, and before that spent more than 17 years at the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He won the SUNY Distinguished Professor 2015 Award and is known worldwide for more than 25 years of expertise in “fundamental and applied studies of internal combustion engines and energy systems,” in which he has one doctorate and three masters from MIT.
Dr. Assanis has received commendations for his dedication to affordability, diversity, interdisciplinary cooperation, and research innovation. He considers diversity in ideas, gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc, as “crucial” and believes although people can go “fast alone,” we should focus on “going far together.”
Learn More
- Trustees elect Dennis Assanis to lead UD, University of Delaware video
- UD’s Next President, UDaily, Nov. 18, 2015.
- Dennis Assanis: Accomplished Leader, UDaily, Nov. 18, 2015.
- Dennis Assanis announced as university president, The Review, Nov. 18, 2015.
- Tenure at Stony Brook University
Production team: Abbie Sarfo, Bassam Khatri, Sarah Craster, Eric Emory, and Nate Phillips