Letter from the Dean: July 2024

Dear Faculty, Staff, Students and Friends of the Bagley College of Engineering:

I hope your summer is going well. I am pleased to share with you some of our most recent stories:

• Look at the innovative work being done in capstone design in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.
• The MSU EcoCAR team placed sixth nationally at the recent competition held in Arizona. As part of the awards ceremony recognizing student accomplishments, electrical and computer engineering professor John Ball was recognized as the Outstanding Faculty Advisor.
• The MSU Formula SAE team finished 17th overall and 1st in fuel efficiency in a field of 119 teams, their best finish ever.
• Congrats to Industrial engineering associate professor Wenmeng “Meg” Tian for being named as a Susan Smyth Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer by the Society for Manufacturing Engineers.
• Computer Science and Engineering faculty Zhiqian Chen has co-authored a book  Machine Learning for Computer Scientists and Data Analysts—From an Applied Perspective.
• Assistant Clinical Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering David Wallace writes for The Conversation about the northern lights and solar storms.
• We do not feature buildings very often, but you might be interested in learning about our steel manufacturing work at the Edwards Building.

One of my favorite parts about my job is in telling the stories about the students, faculty and staff in BCoE. I began this monthly update in 2014, with the goal of increasing awareness of the outstanding work being done day in and day out on our campus to advance engineering in the State of Mississippi and beyond. This will be my final newsletter, as next month I will begin a new position as Senior Vice President and Provost at Iowa State University of Science and Technology. I am so thankful for being given the opportunity to serve Mississippi State University, and would like to take a moment to thank our administration and my campus-wide dean colleagues for their collaboration and support. Furthermore, as I work to assist interim dean Robert Green with this transition, I am deeply appreciative of the dedication that the engineering department heads, faculty and staff pour into students day-in and day-out. I see this investment returned several times over through the work quality of our graduates as well as from the philanthropy of our alumni and corporate sponsors. I will forever reminisce on my time at this incredible institution that is changing lives, true to the land-grant mission.

To quote the Maroon and White Alma Mater:

Mississippi State we love you,
Fondest mem'ries cling to thee,
Life shall bear thy spirit ever,
Loyal friends we'll always be.

Thank you all very much, and if you make it up to Ames, Iowa, please reach out to me.

Regards,
Jason M. Keith
Dean and Professor
Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport, Jr. Chair
Bagley College of Engineering
Mississippi State University