Walter Lee named interim associate dean of inclusive excellence for the College of Engineering
Walter Lee, associate professor in the Department of Engineering Education, has been named the interim associate dean of inclusive excellence for the College of Engineering, effective Aug. 10.
Lee will help advance inclusivity at all levels of the college for the duration of one year while a national search is launched. The appointment comes after the recent retirement of diversity pioneer Bevlee Watford, who served in the role for more than 30 years.
Lee will serve as executive director of the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity (CEED), which was established in 1992 and has enhanced the experience of thousands of engineering students.
“I am pleased to announce that Walter has accepted this position following Dr. Watford’s retirement. It is imperative that the college build on the successful initiatives Dr. Watford saw to fruition as founder and director of CEED while implementing new strategies that foster inclusivity for our engineering community. We are fortunate to have Walter steward these efforts during a time of transition,” said Julie Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering.
Lee completed his master’s and doctoral degrees at Virginia Tech in industrial and systems engineering and engineering education, respectively. His first exposure to CEED was as a graduate student, where he worked with individuals in the Student Transition Engineering Program and gained an appreciation for, and understanding of, the undergraduate student experience in engineering at Virginia Tech. Since joining the faculty in 2015, he has remained an active member and proponent of CEED’s mission. His research and scholarship is focused on answering questions such as
- How can we better support engineering students with diverse backgrounds?
- How can we make engineering more equitable, accessible, and inclusive?
- How can we broaden participation in engineering?
- How can we educate engineering students and faculty about diversity?
Given Lee’s history, he is well equipped to serve the college in advancing inclusive excellence holistically, taking into consideration student needs and experiences while better understanding the faculty and administrative roles that best support institutional change.
“I firmly believe that you can get more done if you get a group of people to work together. I want to empower our team members to continue to do the work they’re passionate about, while making space for realignments that will best serve inclusive excellence going forward,” said Lee.
Having seen firsthand how Watford grew the program’s K-12, undergraduate, and graduate student involvement, Lee knows the “blood, sweat, tears, and intricacies” that went into institutionalizing this impactful programming.
“I have a strong appreciation for the work that was done by the founding director,” he said. “When somebody who’s spent a lot of time building a center retires, it’s important to approach the transition in leadership intentionally so that the individual’s progress is preserved while working towards the future.”
He is excited about the opportunity and believes this appointment will bring him one step closer to his personal goals. Lee’s career vision is to be “a driving force in the national effort to diversify engineering and ensure that institutions provide students with the necessary support to succeed regardless of their background.”
He has received numerous grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation to fund this research and has published in national and international engineering education journals. Some of his awards – highlighting excellence in teaching, advising, scholarship, and more – include
- National Science Foundation Early Faculty Career Development Program (CAREER) award, 2020
- Outstanding Mentor Award (College of Engineering), Virginia Tech Graduate School, 2019
- 20 High-achieving Researchers and Educators under 40, PRISM Magazine, 2018
- Outstanding New Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech College of Engineering, 2018
- Outstanding Young Alumni, Clemson College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Science, 2018
Lee holds a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Clemson University, a master's degree in industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in engineering education from Virginia Tech.
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