He serves as the Associate Dean and Professor of the School of Engineering and in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide.
ORMOND BEACH, FL, August 21, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Joseph J. Rencis has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Rencis is an experienced professional in engineering education and leadership. Since 2024, he has served as the Associate Dean and Professor of the School of Engineering and in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide. With over 39 years of experience, he has made significant contributions to the academic community through his strategic leadership, focusing on student success, research growth, and industry partnerships.
Beginning his academic career in higher education in 1985, Dr. Rencis was an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Over nearly two decades, he advanced to associate professor and professor while also serving as director of engineering mechanics. In 2004, Dr. Rencis joined the University of Arkansas as the department head of mechanical engineering and professor of mechanical engineering, and was named the inaugural 21st-century leadership chair on campus in 2007.
In 2011, Dr. Rencis joined Tennessee Technological University as the dean of engineering, Clay N. Hixson leadership chair, and professor of mechanical engineering. He then served as the professor of mechanical engineering and dean of engineering at California State Polytechnic University Pomona from 2017 to 2021. In recent years, Dr. Rencis has held several interim leadership roles, including interim dean of engineering and applied sciences at the University at Albany, State University of New York, in 2022, interim dean of engineering at the University of Texas Permian Basin in 2023, and interim department head of mechanical engineering and professor of practice at the University of Texas at Dallas from 2023 to 2024.
Dr. Rencis’s academic journey began with an associate degree, with honors, in architectural and building construction engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1978, followed by a bachelor’s degree in architectural and building construction engineering, with honors, in 1980. He also received a Master of Science in civil engineering from Northwestern University in 1982 and a Doctor of Philosophy in civil engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1985.
In addition to his academic leadership, Dr. Rencis was elected a fellow and former president of the American Society for Engineering Education from 2014 to 2017. He is also an elected fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Civically, Dr. Rencis has volunteered at area food banks and his local church. Besides these initiatives, he has authored over 150 articles in professional journals, contributing significantly to computational mechanics and engineering education.
Throughout his career, Dr. Rencis has been recognized with numerous awards. His tenure at Worcester Polytechnic Institute was marked by his dedication to teaching and research, earning him the Russell D. Searle Distinguished Instructor Award in 1994. American Society for Engineering Education also acknowledged his efforts with the Isadore T. Davis Award for Excellence in Collaboration of Engineering Education and Industry in 2019. Among other accolades, Dr. Rencis received the American Society for Engineering Education Ralph Coats Roe Award in 2022 and was inducted into the American Society for Engineering Education Hall of Fame in 2023.
Dr. Rencis’s career is a testament to his dedication to education, research, and community service, earning him respect as a leader and mentor in engineering education. Looking ahead, he aims to continue making a difference in academic engineering and engineering technology programs.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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