University of Minnesota sign

Former Emerson VP Jane Lansing named chair of CSE Dean’s Advisory Board

Lansing is the first woman to serve as the board’s chair

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (1/10/2023)—The University of Minnesota Twin Cities College of Science and Engineering (CSE) announced today that Dean Andrew Alleyne has appointed alumna Jane Lansing (CivE ‘76) as the first woman to serve as chair of the CSE Dean’s Advisory Board. She will serve a three-year term.

Former chair and fellow CSE alumnus Ron Christenson (ME ‘72) will remain on the board for another year as chair emeritus.

Made up of both University of Minnesota alumni and members of industry and academia, the board plays an active role in advising the Dean on issues related to industry partnerships, industry requirements from education, and maintaining the College’s place as one of the top engineering and science academic programs in the country.

About Jane Lansing

Jane Lansing earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (then the Institute of Technology) in 1976. Since then, Lansing built an impressive career as the vice president of marketing at a major Fortune 500 company, Emerson Automation Solutions, before retiring in 2019. 

She became one of the first woman leaders on CSE’s Dean’s Advisory Board in 2014 and has since evolved into a truly critical role within the College. In addition to advising college leadership on issues regarding branding and positioning, Lansing has participated in numerous activities, lectures, and networking events to support student professional development and alumni engagement, including judging CSE’s Three-Minute Thesis Competition in 2020 and serving as emcee for the College’s Fall 2021 Rising to the Moment Lecture.

Lansing received the University’s Alumni Service Award in 2022 to honor these accomplishments and more. She has also been a generous financial supporter of CSE, having contributed more than $60,000 through the years in support of undergraduate student scholarships and the College’s strategic initiatives.

About Ron Christenson

Ron Christenson received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1972. He worked for Cargill his entire career before retiring in 2009 as the company’s corporate vice president and chief technology officer. Christenson has served as the Dean’s Advisory Board chair under five deans and CSE’s Campaign Committee chair since 2009. Under his leadership, the CSE Campaign Committee achieved a very successful Driven campaign, raising more than $313 million for the College.

He and his spouse, Janet, endowed the College of Science and Engineering’s Ronald and Janet Christenson Chair in Renewable Energy, the Ronald and Janet Christenson Scholarship, and the Ronald and Janet Christenson Fellowship.

See the full list of CSE Dean’s Advisory Board members.

Share