Dr. Mullany Named Associate Dean for Engineering Research
The William States Lee College of Engineering has announced that Dr. Brigid Mullany will be the College’s new Associate Dean for Research. Currently a professor in the Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science Department, Dr. Mullany will begin her new role for the College on February 1st, 2021.
Dr. Mullany is nationally and internationally recognized for her work in manufacturing and has extensive experience with industry and with federal agencies including the National Science Foundation. Her research interests include finishing of freeform surfaces, precision abrasive processes, and surface characterization.
“Dr. Mullany has a strong track record for developing a successful research program, mentoring graduate students and building collaborative research teams,” said Dr. Rob Keynton, Dean of The William States Lee College of Engineering. “Since joining UNC Charlotte, she has developed a diverse research portfolio, which includes funding from both federal agencies and industry. I’m confident she will be a great asset to the College in this new role.”
After receiving her academic training at University College Dublin in Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Mullany worked for Carl Zeiss in Germany as a Marie Curie post-doctoral fellow for two years, after which she joined UNC Charlotte in 2004. She received a SME Kuo K. Wang Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineering Award in 2007, and a NSF CAREER award in 2008. She was made a fellow of the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP) in 2019, and is the President Elect for SME’s North American Manufacturing Research Institute (NAMRI). From January 2017 to November 2019, she was a Program Director at the National Science Foundation in the Advanced Manufacturing program. During this time, she interacted with other national and international federal agencies, supported initiatives to promote the competitiveness of US manufacturing research, and co-organized workshops to mentor junior faculty in successful proposal writing.
“I’m honored to be selected for this role and am excited about the many opportunities it presents”, Dr. Mullany said. “Within the College we are extremely fortunate to have faculty conducting research at the highest levels, and excellent staff and students supporting these endeavors. I am looking forward to working my colleagues to develop new strategies and mechanisms that can accelerate the success of our faculty, and hence that of the College.”