Associate Dean Ozlem Kilic has surely gotten to know UT in her first several months on the job. A full schedule keeps her in motion from her HQ in the TCE Office of Academic and Student Affairs, across campus, and back.
Kilic joined the college as Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in July 2019. In that role she oversees a variety of programs, including undergraduate and graduate curricula and the offices responsible for the college’s diversity, study abroad, advising, recruiting, and scholarship and fellowship programs. She also co-supervises the Heath Integrated Business and Engineering program with her counterpart in the Haslam College of Business.
She recently launched an Advisory Council for Student Success within the college with 11 supporting taskforces. The council emphasizes recruitment and retention, with several new initiatives taking place online due to the coronavirus that were not possible or considered before, including virtual class visits by prospective students, a greater emphasis on virtual tours, and virtual advising. In a way, moving things virtual has given Kilic and her team more opportunities to connect with families and prospective students.
Of course, progress must continue, regardless of the virus. Kilic’s initiatives for the near future—whether virtual or in-person—include and advisory council for diversity and a number of cross-disciplinary initiatives between engineering and other colleges.
Kilic delivers an overview on climate change to Chancellor’s Honors students at the Howard Baker Center. She shared with them the dangers facing the world, but also more hopeful developments and how we can be a powerful force to impact change. Kilic has given similar talks across the globe on this subject and hosted international workshops to identify actions everyone can take. She encourages our students to start grassroots operations to make UT a leader and an exemplary campus on this topic.
An early morning breakfast hosted by Chancellor Donde Plowman gave Kilic a chance to network with alumni and meet colleagues from all over campus and the UT system.
Within a few months into the job and the volunteer spirit, Kilic encouraged engineering students to establish a student chapter for Engineers Without Borders. Her enthusiasm was matched by the excitement of many students from across all departments and activities began immediately. Student leaders launching the chapter invited Kilic to help let other interested Vols know the opportunities. available at UT for global volunteerism to address many challenges with engineering solutions—in our local communities and globally. Student leader launching the chapter invited Kilic to help let other interested Vols know the opportunities available at UT for global volunteerism to address many challenges with engineering solutions—in our local communities and globally. Anyone interested in EWB can follow on Instagram: @ewb_utk.
Kilic helped present awards during the 17th Annual Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP) Research Conference in February 2020. TLSAMP brings together underrepresented students for presentations, discussions, and poster competitions related to engineering, math, science, and agriculture. Kilic serves as a co-PI on this multi-institution program funded by NSF. One of her top priorities is to serve the underserved and underrepresented as she leads TCE’s student and academic affairs. She has been submitting proposals and is eager to collaborate across the campus in seeking grants to address diversity and workforce development.
Kilic catches up with the progress of her research team that’s working on developing detection devices for a variety of applications ranging from vital signature detection, drone based remote sensing systems, large scale electromagnetic modeling on hardware accelerated platforms, and 5G applications of antenna and RF systems.
Kilic and staff from Academic and Student Affairs, Engineering Professional Practice, Diversity Programs, and the Dean’s office gathered for a fun photo during the college’s Holiday Cookie Exchange in December 2019.