Dear Campus Community, 

I am writing to share news that Chris Lynch has informed me of his decision to step down as Dean of the Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE). Dean Lynch has agreed to remain in the dean position while we conduct an international search for our next BCOE leader; that search will commence in spring with the goal of making an appointment by the end of 2026.

Dean Lynch was recruited to UCR in 2018 with a mandate to expand the college of engineering. Since that time, the college has grown from 3,400 to 5,000 students and expanded its faculty by 25 and staff by 20, all while maintaining consistent retention and graduation rates across demographics. Several new programs have been introduced to better prepare BCOE graduates for their future roles in our technology-based society, including BS degrees in Data Science and Robotics, and an MS in Computational Data Science. Under his leadership, BCOE grew its extramural annual research expenditures from $30M in FY2018 to $45M in FY2024, a 50% increase and a testament to the extraordinary faculty in the college.

Dean Lynch has emphasized excellence in engineering education through experiential learning and a well-supported classroom experience. He oversaw significant investment in maker-spaces in all engineering disciplines to support a rapidly expanding base of industry-sponsored capstone design projects. Another point of pride is the expansion of the BCOE student transfer center to the new Student Success Center, providing students a space to meet with alumni, prepare for careers, and engage in student-led projects. To accomplish these goals, Dean Lynch helped steward the generous support of a network of parents, alumni, industry, and many friends of the college.

Dean Lynch is planning to remain in the dean position until a successor is named, after which he will take a sabbatical year to reestablish his research program. He looks forward to working with faculty on research and getting back to teaching. Dean Lynch currently serves as the PI on a program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focused on combining best practices in mathematics pedagogy with technology to improve mathematics learning outcomes using a new platform, Learnvia. In collaboration with higher-ed partners across the region, he will continue this work to improve the success of students from underrepresented backgrounds while strengthening STEM readiness for all students.

Please join me in congratulating Dean Lynch for his many accomplishments and thanking him for his contributions to UCR. I wish him continued success in the next phase of his career.