Kenneth H. Wong named interim associate dean and director of Northern Virginia Center; Philip A. Skomra will serve as assistant director
Kenneth H. Wong, assistant professor of physics and director of the Biomedical Technology Development and Management program, has been named interim associate dean of the Virginia Tech Graduate School in the National Capital Region and director of the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church, Va.
As interim associate dean, Wong will be responsible for developing recruitment and marketing strategies, and strengthening and enhancing the overall student experience and the relationship between the university and the broader community.
In his role as director of the Northern Virginia Center, he will work closely with Philip A. Skomra, who has been named assistant director and will manage the daily operations of the facility.
Wong joined Virginia Tech in 2009 from Georgetown University where he was an assistant professor of radiology at the Imaging Science and Information Systems Center.
Wong received a bachelor's degree from Brandeis University and a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of California San Francisco and the University of California, Berkeley. His primary area of expertise is medical imaging, and he has applied this knowledge over several fields including proton radiotherapy, prostate cancer staging, CyberKnife radiosurgery, interventional oncology, military working dogs, and ultrasound for combat casualty care.
He also directs the Biomedical Technology Development and Management program, an executive-format master of science degree offered by Virginia Tech. Wong will continue to pursue his current research interests in sleep neuroimaging and mobile health.
Skomra has served Virginia Tech in various capacities since 1988, most recently as director of information services. His responsibilities included creating, maintaining, directing, planning, and promoting an autonomous, centralized, and progressive Information Services Department and computer network that fully meets the needs of the faculty, staff, students, and community associated with Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center.
Skomra received a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University and is currently enrolled in the Master of Information Systems program at Virginia Tech.
“I am pleased to welcome Kenneth on board at the Northern Virginia Center and look forward to working with him as we continue to look for and explore opportunities to expand our teaching mission in the National Capital Region,” said Karen DePauw, vice president and dean for graduate education. “And I thank Phil for accepting this new challenge. His more than 20 years of experience at the Northern Virginia Center in various technical capacities should serve us well in maintaining the efficiency of the building.”
DePauw said that the search for a permanent director/associate dean would begin this coming fall with anticipation of filling the position by fall semester 2013.
Headshots of Wong and Skomra
Kenneth H. Wong (left) and Philip A. Skomra
