Scott Midkiff named electrical and computer engineering department head

Scott F. Midkiff, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Virginia Tech, will become the new electrical and computer engineering department head, effective Aug.10.

"I am delighted to receive Dr. Midkiff's acceptance. He emerged from a pool of outstanding candidates, and is ideally suited to the position. I am confident that the electrical and computer engineering department will continue to grow in stature and achievement under his leadership," said Richard C. Benson, dean of Virginia Tech's College of Engineering and the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Chair of Engineering.

"I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to further increase the department's quality, impact, and reputation. And, I welcome the opportunity to work with others beyond the electrical and computer engineering department in collaborative programs in Blacksburg and the National Capital Region," Midkiff said.

Midkiff joined the Virginia Tech faculty as an assistant professor in 1986 and was promoted to associate professor in 1992 and full professor in 2000. He spent 1998 to 1999 and 2004 to 2006 with Virginia Tech in Northern Virginia. In 2006, Midkiff began an assignment at the National Science Foundation (NSF) as a Program Director in the Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems Division, a position where he currently remains.

Among his awards, Midkiff has a NSF Director's Award for Collaborative Integration and a Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching Innovation. He was the principal investigator for Virginia Tech's first Integrative Graduate Education and Research training (IGERT) grant from the NSF. This grant led to the creation of the Integrated Research and Education in Advanced Networking (IREAN) program. Midkiff's research focuses on wireless networking and network support for mobile and pervasive computing.

Midkiff was a key contributor to the electrical and computer engineering department's development of the master's and Ph.D. degrees in computer engineering, and coordinated a major revision of the bachelor's in computer engineering degree program at Virginia Tech. He is also credited with assisting in the development of the multi-college Master of Information Technology degree and certificate program.

Midkiff succeeds James Thorp, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, who has led the department since 2004.