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Dr. Julie Ross serves as Virginia Tech’s Executive Vice President and Provost, a role she assumed in January 2026. She previously held the position of Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of the College of Engineering since 2017 and served as special advisor to the president since 2023. Under her leadership of the College of Engineering, one of the largest in the nation with 11 departments, two schools, and nearly 900 faculty and staff, enrollment grew by nearly 30 percent and research expenditures increased by over 20 percent. She increased engineering scholarships by 103 percent, launched new academic programs in biomedical engineering, computer science, and nuclear engineering, and contributed to the launch of the Institute for Advanced Computing in Alexandria. As special advisor, she led the Northern Virginia Steering Committee to strengthen the university’s presence in the greater Washington, D.C., area and co-chaired a campuswide process to update Virginia Tech’s 2050 vision, Virginia Tech Beyond Boundaries.
A noted professor and researcher in chemical engineering and engineering education, Ross holds tenured appointments in the departments of chemical engineering and engineering education. She has authored 158 refereed papers and conference proceedings and published a book titled Engineering in the Life Sciences. Her primary research focuses on the role of fluid mechanics in infections involving the cardiovascular system, and she is an elected fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, Ross spent more than 20 years at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, ultimately serving as dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, where she now holds the title of dean emeritus. Ross holds a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a doctoral degree from Rice University, both in chemical engineering. Her recognitions include election to the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine; the Outstanding Woman Leader in Virginia Higher Education award from the American Council on Education; the Distinguished Engineering Alumnae Award and Outstanding Chemical Engineer Award from Purdue University; and recognition as one of the Top 20 Women in Technology by the Maryland Department of Commerce. She has served on the National Science Foundation Engineering Directorate Advisory Committee and the NASA Advisory Council STEM Engagement Committee. Ross is a member of the Global Engineering Dean’s Council, the American Institute for Chemical Engineers, and the American Society for Engineering Education.
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Explore Virginia Tech's expansion challenges, Board of Visitors decisions on housing, living-learning communities, and leadership amid enrollment surges and stakeholder pushback.
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