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Geoffrey Orsak

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Geoffrey Orsak
Born
Geoffrey Charles Orsak

(1963-05-26) May 26, 1963 (age 61)
Schenectady, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
EducationRice University B.S., M. S., PhD. (all in Electrical Engineering
SpouseCatherine Orsak
ChildrenOne son and one daughter

| signature = | signature_alt = }} Geoffrey Charles Orsak (born May 26, 1963)[1] is an engineering academic. He was dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Southern Methodist University, and in 2012 he served briefly as the 18th president of the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[2]

Biography

Career

Orsak was born in Schenectady, New York. He grew up in Corpus Christi, Laredo, and San Antonio, Texas. He attended Rice University where he earned his BSEE (’85), MEE (’86) and PhD (’90) degrees. While at Rice, he was elected president of Will Rice College, one of the Rice's residential colleges.

He began his academic career at George Mason University where he reached the level of associate professor. While there he served for a year as a Presidential Fellow, assisting the president and other senior staff with key strategic issues. He left GMU for Southern Methodist University (SMU), where in 2000 he became Professor of Electrical Engineering and Associate Dean for Research and Development. In 2004, he was named dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, which during his tenure was renamed the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering.

After serving SMU) as a dean for eight years, he was appointed as the 18th president of the University of Tulsa, replacing Steadman Upham, who had already announced his retirement. The appointment was announced on May 2, 2012, and became effective July 1, 2012, [3] He was released as Tulsa's president on September 12, 2012. After serving only 74 days as President, the university announced that Orsak had been removed, effective immediately, and simultaneously said that Executive Vice President Kevan Buck would "...manage day-to-day operations."[3]"University Fires Its President Days into His Term". 13 September 2012.</ref> Orsak expressed his disappointment about the board's decision to fire him after such a brief time as President.[4] He returned to Dallas, where he is currently the Executive Director of the Texas Research Alliance, an effort to strengthen the research profiles of universities in north Texas.

Accomplishments

Orsak was an early advocate for including engineering in the K-12 curriculum. With the support of Texas Instruments, in 1999 he launched the Infinity Project to promote engineering and innovation education. It currently operates in approximately forty states and six countries.[citation needed] Orsak was an early advocate of gender parity in engineering enrollment,[citation needed] and female enrollment in the Lyle School of Engineering has consistently been 50% higher than the national average,.[5][6]

Orsak received the first award as Educator of the Year in Engineering and Science from EE Times.[7] He was elected a Fellow of the IEEE in 2005, the highest recognition afforded by the electrical engineering profession.[8] He was also named a "Distinguished Lecturer of the IEEE" for his work in education and wireless communications.[citation needed] He has served on a number of public councils and task forces, including the National Petroleum Council.[9] Chairman of the Board of the Da Vinci School, and invited to address congress on a number of occasions. He was author of a monthly column for the international magazine "Design News" from June 2008 through April 2012. He has also appeared in numerous stories in the media on education and innovation in sources such as USA Today, Discovery Channel, MSNBC, CBS Early Show, AIArchitect, Austin American Statesmen, and Dallas Morning news. In 2011, Orsak received the "SMU M Award" from Southern Methodist University, the university's highest award.[citation needed]

Personal life

Orsak is married to Catherine Orsak, who is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. They have two children, Mary Orsak, and Peter Orsak.

References

  1. ^ "Fact Sheet: Geoffrey C. Orsak, Ph.D.[permanent dead link], University of Tulsa (accessed 2012-05-02) (PDF file).
  2. ^ "TU names Geoffrey Orsak as new president", Tulsa World, May 2, 2012.
  3. ^ a b CBS DFW News. "Tulsa College Fires President After 74 Days." September 13, 2012. Accessed March 8, 2022. Cite error: The named reference "CBS_DFW" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  4. ^ [http:// www.universityherald.com/ articles/2400/20120914/university-of-tulsa-fires-president-no-reason-given.htm ""University of Tulsa Board Yet to Remove Veil over Firing of its President""]. September14, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Gender Parity Initiative, (accessed 2013-10-11).
  6. ^ SMU Facts(accessed 2013-10-11)
  7. ^ EE Times fetes innovators, EE Times, April 5, 2006
  8. ^ IEEE Fellows, IEEE Information Theory Society (accessed 2012-05-02).
  9. ^ National Petroleum Council (accessed 2012-05-02),
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