David Knight named interim dean for the College of Engineering
The professor of engineering education has served as chief of strategy for the College of Engineering and as special assistant to the provost. Now, Knight is ready to tackle a new challenge.
David Knight has spent his career studying how great institutions evolve. And over the last five years, he’s helped Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering do just that by advancing its strategic priorities.
Now, as interim dean of the college, he’s focused on maintaining momentum while championing the spirit of collaboration and service that defines the college. He officially assumes the role on Jan. 10, succeeding Julie Ross, who is the university’s new executive vice president and provost.
Joining the university in 2013 as a faculty member in the Department of Engineering Education, Knight saw Virginia Tech as a natural choice. He is a native Virginian and comes from a family of Hokies. His brothers and sisters-in-law are Virginia Tech alums. He also felt drawn to the university’s strong sense of purpose.
“The spirit of Ut Prosim is more than a motto here. It’s a way of life,” said Knight. “Our community genuinely wants one another to succeed, and that’s what makes the College of Engineering and Virginia Tech such a special place.”
Before joining the dean’s office, Knight held several leadership roles in the Department of Engineering Education, including director of international engagement, assistant department head for graduate programs, and assistant department head for research and engagement.
He also led the Rising Sophomore Abroad Program, expanding it from 24 students in its first year in 2014 to nearly 185 students in 2018–19. Under his leadership, the program provided more than 660 undergraduate students, 24 graduate students, and 51 faculty members with international experiences and was recognized with the Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award by the Association of International Educators.
Knight's success and his skill in developing strategic direction caught the eye of Ross, who made him special assistant to the dean for strategic plan implementation in 2020.
“David’s vision, experience, and steady leadership of our strategic planning process has been central to the progress we’ve made as a college,” said Ross. “He understands the complexity of our mission and has a proven record of turning bold ideas into sustainable action. I am confident in his ability to maintain our momentum and lead the College of Engineering during this important transitional period.”
Knight's research portfolio includes more than $13 million in external funding as principal or co-principal investigator, with projects focused on graduate education, transfer students, international partnerships, systems thinking, and engineering education reform.
He currently leads a National Science Foundation S-STEM Research Hub, in collaboration with 30 colleges and universities, to examine approaches for building and sustaining organizational partnerships that support low-income students in engineering, computing, and computer science. He also serves as co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Engineering Education, the flagship publication of the American Society for Engineering Education.
Since joining the College of Engineering, Knight has received the following recognitions:
- Induction into Virginia Tech’s Academy of Faculty Leadership, 2025
- Faculty Innovation Fellowship from the Business–Higher Education Forum, 2024
- College of Engineering’s Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award, 2022
- Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Excellence in International Education, 2020
- Virginia Tech Certificate of Teaching Excellence, 2018
Knight received undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Virginia and a doctorate from Penn State. He later completed a postdoctoral appointment in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland, in Brisbane, Australia.
Knight said working alongside Ross for the past five years has given him a strong foundation for this transition and that he was “incredibly fortunate to be mentored by her.”
“Over the next several months, if the leadership team feels that I’ve continued Julie’s transparent, team-based approach and that we’ve navigated challenges openly and together, then I’ll consider that a success. I am excited to work with such a talented team to support our College of Engineering community to continue accomplishing really big things during our search for our next great permanent dean of engineering.”
