“Today’s rapidly evolving, global workplace and diverse workforce requires changes in preparation for our graduates--and an appreciation of the need for lifelong learning--to have successful professional careers. An expectation that graduates will be able to work across traditional boundaries calls for a more integrated curriculum and teaming of engineering students with those from business or social/humanistic fields. The Leonhard Center provides an ideal incubator for this to happen.”

Robert Pangborn

Vice President and Dean, Undergraduate Education

Robert N. Pangborn, Ph.D., Professor of Engineering Mechanics, is Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education. In this position, he is responsible for providing leadership in undergraduate education, including support for general education, active and collaborative learning, academic assessment, student research experiences, internships, service learning, cross-campus curricular integration, and the development of facilities for technology-enhanced learning. He also oversees the University's enrollment management (comprising Undergraduate Admissions, University Registrar, and Student Aid) across Penn State's 20 baccalaureate degree-granting campuses.

Previously he served as associate dean for undergraduate studies in engineering from 1994 to 2006. He has been recognized by the Penn State Engineering Society for both outstanding advising and outstanding teaching; and won a Provost’s Award for Collaborative Instruction and Curricular Innovation and the McKay Donkin Award for service to the faculty.

Dr. Pangborn holds B.A. and B.S. degrees from Rutgers University in Business Administration and Civil Engineering, respectively, as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanics and Materials Science. He has taught and conducted research since 1979 in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics in the areas of engineering mechanics and structures, failure analysis and engineering materials, publishing over 100 papers. He was elected as a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1999, served as Senior Vice President for Strategic Management from 2006 to 2009, and is a Governor for ASME International.