Greetings from Rolla! As I write, the semester has entered the last week of classes, and students are busily preparing for final exams and completing final papers and projects. The fall 2022 semester was the first since the start of the pandemic to feel close to normal again.
Important changes came to the department in 2022. Most notably, Dr. Diana Ahmad and Dr. Patrick Huber both retired. We also had one prominent new addition to the department this year, for Dr. Mehrzad Boroujerdi, the new dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education, is a political scientist.
Department faculty members also continued to garner awards this past year. Dr. Sheppard won a Faculty Excellence Award, Dr. Schramm won an Outstanding Teaching Award, and Dr. DeWitt won both major teaching awards.
As always, it is a privilege to serve as interim chair of such an outstanding department. I particularly enjoy meeting new students and hearing from alumni, even if only through comments on our Facebook page. And if you’re ever back in Rolla, be sure to stop in and say hello!
