Crouch confirmed as IT dean

At its February 11 meeting the board of regents confirmed the appointment of Steven Crouch as the new dean of the Institute of Technology. Crouch, professor of civil engineering and associate dean for finance and planning, began serving as interim dean January 1, 2005.

Crouch has strong ties to the University, both as an alumnus and a faculty member. He received a bachelor's degree in mineral engineering in 1966, a master's degree in 1967, and a Ph.D. in 1970. He began his career as a research officer with the Chamber of Mines in South Africa from 1968 to 1970, when he joined the Department of Civil Engineering faculty. He served as department head from 1987 until 1997, when he became the college's associate dean for finance and planning.

Crouch's research interests are in the area of boundary element methods applied to problems in geomechanics and composite materials. Currently he holds the Theodore W. Bennett Chair in Mining Engineering and Rock Mechanics.