10 Years! Lance Collins’ Legacy
As Lance Collins, the Joseph Silbert Dean of Engineering, completes his second and final term as dean, Cornell Engineering Magazine looks back at his decade-long tenure and his many achievements. Collins joined Cornell in 2002 as a faculty member specializing in the application of numerical simulations to turbulent processes. As the first African American director of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and later as the first African American dean at Cornell University, Collins elevated the college as one of the premier engineering research and education institutes in the world. Collins will be joining Virginia Tech as the inaugural vice president and executive director of its new Innovation Campus following the completion of his term on June 30.
“I’m looking forward to serving out my last semester at Cornell, and although my time in Ithaca will soon end, I expect to discover the sentiment that many of our alumni have shared with me—namely, that Cornell will always hold a special place in my heart.” – Lance Collins
2010
Collins becomes first African American dean in Cornell University history.
2011
University wins Cornell Tech bid for Roosevelt Island. Collins was a member of the core leadership team that won the Cornell Tech bid for Roosevelt Island in New York City. He has since served on the board of directors for the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech, the joint venture between the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Cornell. Collins has also played an instrumental role in the hiring and promotion of faculty, and the launching of new engineering degree programs at Cornell Tech. White House recognizes college diversity programs Collins supports Diversity Programs in Engineering such as CURIE Academy, CATALYST Academy, Coleman Leadership, and Ryan Scholars. In 2011, the White House recognized these programs with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring.
2012
Support grows for student project teams Collins helps secure a $10 million gift from John Swanson ’61, M.Eng. ’63, to support student project teams and other learning initiatives. Project teams have since grown to 29 teams comprised of about 1,100 students, most of whom are engineering students. Engineering Leadership Program established Collins establishes the Engineering Leadership Program to provide structured education and training in leadership development. Throughout his tenure, Collins emphasized the value of leadership qualities in engineers, noting many students will one day manage projects, lead working groups, and start or lead companies.
2013
College launches ‘Breaking the Rules’ brand Collins launches Cornell Engineering’s first branding campaign effort, which engaged hundreds of students, faculty, staff, and alumni to develop a new and unique brand position for the college in the higher education marketplace. The ‘Breaking the Rules’ brand platform has been incorporated into the college’s website, magazine, social media, merchandise, videos and facilities. Teaching Excellence Institute receives $5 million gift Collins helps secure a $5 million gift from the McCormick family for the McCormick Family Teaching Excellence Institute, supporting faculty use of traditional and non-traditional methods for teaching students.
2015
Cornell Engineering Sesquicentennial Collins honors the college’s history by leading a multi-day celebration in October that featured talks from notable alumni and past leaders, presentations on the college’s history, panels discussions on the future of the college, the unveiling of a time capsule, and the unveiling of a plaque honoring the college’s first women engineer, among other events. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering established Collins helps secure a $50 million gift that establishes the Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, representing at the time the largest single philanthropic commitment by individual donors to one of the university’s colleges in Ithaca. He subsequently launched the biomedical engineering undergraduate program, which has since graduated its first class. The school’s graduate program was less than six years old when Collins began his tenure as dean, but quickly grew to prominence and is now ranked the #14 biomedical graduate program in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report. Forbes ranks Cornell the fourth most entrepreneurial school Collins’ work in establishing an ecosystem of entrepreneurship at the college helps land Cornell University at #4 on the Forbes list of Most Entrepreneurial Schools. Collins helped to develop, or integrated into the college, the following programs: eHub, eLab, Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, Commercialization Fellows, Scaleup and Prototyping Awards, Entrepreneurship Minor, and the Praxis Center for Venture Development.
2016
Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering named Collins helps secure $50 million from Robert F. Smith ’85 to support chemical engineering and diversity initiatives. The Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering was named following the gift and a series of new programs such as the Smith Scholars and the Smith Initiatives were launched. Cornell Engineering launches capital campaign Collins initiates a capital campaign to renovate most engineering buildings on campus. Completed renovations include Kimball Hall, which received LEED Gold status for its use of recycled materials and a state-of-the-art heating and cooling system; Upson Hall, which includes laboratories built for modern research, flipped classrooms, space for project teams and makers, and a wing that united many robotics labs in one location; Olin Hall, the first phase of which established state-of-the-art molecular engineering laboratories; and Weill Hall, which added new laboratories, classrooms and meeting spaces. A future renovation of Hollister Hall will see the demolition of Carpenter Hall to make way for Hollister’s new north wing, which will include room for new faculty and administrative offices, student meeting spaces, a library and research laboratories.
2017
Collins receives inaugural Mosaic Medal of Distinction Collins is recognized for his efforts in diversifying the college’s student body and creating an inclusive environment with the Mosaic Medal of Distinction. Awarded by the alumni organization Cornell Mosaic, the medal recognizes Cornellians for creating opportunities for diverse communities.
2018
Collins receives the Edward Bouchet Legacy Award Collins is recognized for his efforts in diversifying the college’s student body and creating an inclusive environment with the Edward Bouchet Legacy Award. The award, established by Howard and Yale universities, recognizes educators and advocates committed to cultivating a new generation of scholars, particularly those who promote diversity and inclusion. Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award is established Collins establishes the Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award to recognize college alumni whose extraordinary leadership and vision have broken the rules to push traditional boundaries and transform the world. Recipients to date are David Duffield ’62, MBA ’64 (2018), Irwin Jacobs ’54, BEE ’56 (2019), Robert F. Smith ’85 (2020). Cornell Engineering achieves undergraduate gender parity Collins grows the population of undergraduate women to 50%, up from 33% at the beginning of his tenure as dean. The five-year graduation rate and average GPA has remained equal among genders, and tenure-track women faculty has grown to 21%. Collins has also doubled the percentage of undergraduate underrepresented minorities during his tenure.
2019
Samuel C. Fleming Molecular Engineering Laboratories named Collins helps secure a $10 million gift from the Fleming family to establish the Samuel C. Fleming Molecular Engineering Laboratories in the newly renovated Olin Hall. The labs were cited by Reuters in its 2019 list of the World’s Most Innovative Universities, which ranked Cornell at #9. Cornell establishes the Sustainable Cornell Council Collins is named to the leadership team of the Sustainable Cornell Council, which replaced the Senior Leaders Climate Action Group and directs the university’s role as an international leader in addressing climate change and promoting sustainability by using the campus as a living laboratory. As co-chair, he has encouraged adoption of the living laboratory model—the practice of using the campus’s buildings, energy, water, waste, grounds, people, and transit as systems for exploring and demonstrating new sustainable solutions. One such project is the proposed implementation of Earth Source Heat, an enhanced geothermal system that would heat Cornell’s campus and help the university achieve its 2035 carbon neutrality goal.
2020
Coronavirus pandemic Collins leads the college during the coronavirus pandemic, ensuring the college takes a leading role in preserving faculty research, remote teaching, staff positions, and student recruitment.