UAH names Dr. Srinath Ekkad as Dean of the College of Engineering

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has named Dr. Srinath Ekkad as the next Dean of the College of Engineering following a national search. His appointment begins Aug. 5, 2026. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.

Ekkad joins UAH from North Carolina State University, where he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering since 2017.

Dr. Ekkad's record of building faculty, strategically growing undergraduate enrollment, enhancing graduate education, expanding research, and cultivating industry and alumni relationships made him the clear choice from a strong national candidate pool,” said Dr. David Puleo, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.

A scholar of thermal sciences and heat transfer, Ekkad has built a distinguished research career supported by federal agencies and major industry partners. Throughout his career, he has combined research excellence with a strong focus on student success, championing experiential and project-based learning while helping connect students with industry partners and real-world engineering challenges.

“What sets him apart as a leader, however, is the integration of that research identity with a genuine commitment to the undergraduate experience,” said Puleo. “He has championed experiential and project-based learning as tools not only for student success but for connecting the college to the regional industry ecosystem — a philosophy well suited to Huntsville's unparalleled concentration of defense, aerospace, and technology employers.”

Ekkad will assume leadership of the College of Engineering at a pivotal time, as the college prepares for the opening of the Raymond B. Jones Engineering Building and continues to expand its research profile and graduate programs. As UAH's largest college, the College of Engineering enrolls more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students and represents more than 35% of the university's total enrollment.

“Dr. Ekkad's priorities — expanding graduate enrollment and research output, deepening partnerships with Redstone Arsenal, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and Cummings Research Park, and building a pipeline of industry-engaged undergraduates — align directly with where the college needs to go,” he said. “I am confident he will accelerate that momentum.”

Prior to joining NC State, Ekkad held faculty and leadership positions at Virginia Tech and Louisiana State University. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Association for the Advancement of Science.