Lance Collins, vice president of the greater Washington, D.C., area, to step down in January
Lance Collins, vice president of the greater Washington, D.C., area, will step down early next year after 37 years of service in higher education, including the development of two unique technology campuses. Collins came to Virginia Tech in 2020 as the founding executive director and vice president of the university’s Innovation Campus initiative in Alexandria, part of the university’s commitment to help double the commonwealth’s tech-talent pipeline.
Collins was instrumental in the opening of Academic Building One, and led the hiring of faculty and staff, development of research areas, implementation of a novel project-based curriculum, and growth of enrollment in the Master of Engineering programs. He and the launch team received the 2025 Business Leader of the Year Award from the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, the first academic institution ever to be so recognized.
Collins was a member of the Northern Virginia Steering Committee, which developed the university’s vision and organizational plan for its presence in the D.C. area. He also guided the formation of the Institute for Advanced Computing, creating a platform for new partnerships with industry and government. Recognized as a leader by organizations throughout the region, Collins articulated a bold vision for a project-based graduate education — one that brings students and faculty together to address global-scale challenges adjacent to the nation’s capital.
“Joining Virginia Tech in August 2020 to build a campus from the ground up, in the midst of a pandemic, was arguably the greatest challenge I have ever faced,” said Collins. “I am deeply grateful to everyone who joined this effort, but especially to those who came in the early days and believed in a fledgling vision. Your faith, commitment, and willingness to take a chance on something that did not yet exist made the seemingly impossible possible.”
“Lance led Virginia Tech’s effort to fulfill our commitment to the greater D.C. area as part of the commonwealth’s education package that attracted Amazon’s HQ2 to Arlington,” said Virginia Tech President Tim Sands. “He has advanced our visibility, partnerships, and impact as we develop the next generation of problem-solvers and address the most pressing needs of the region and the commonwealth.”
With a distinguished career as a researcher, scholar, and leader, Collins served as the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering at Cornell University from 2010-20 and the S.C. Thomas Sze Director of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from 2005-10. In 2011, he was part of the team that successfully bid to partner with New York City to build Cornell Tech, which opened its Roosevelt Island campus in 2017.
A professor of mechanical engineering, Collins’ research focused on the application of direct numerical simulation to a broad range of turbulent flow processes. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and in 2021 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Collins graduated from Princeton in 1981 with honors and holds a master's degree and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, all in chemical engineering.
“We celebrate Lance’s significant contributions to his field, higher education, and Virginia Tech during his distinguished career,” said Virginia Tech Executive Vice President and Provost Julie Ross. “We will build on his work to develop a bold collaborative culture and leadership presence to advance the university’s engagement and impact in the region.”
Collins will step down on Jan. 9, 2027, and will remain with the university through the spring semester. A plan for leadership in the greater Washington, D.C., area will be announced at a later date.
