UNC Charlotte Appoints New Dean of College of Engineering

Robert Keynton is named Dean of The William States Lee College of Engineering beginning early August 2020. Keynton joins us from the University of Louisville where he is Interim Executive Vice President for Research & Innovation and professor and Lutz Endowed Chair of Biomechanical Devices in the Department of Bioengineering at the Speed School of Engineering.

He led the creation of the Speed School of Engineering bioengineering department and its associated curriculum and was successful in realizing the vision to achieve national recognition of the bioengineering program by being named a Wallace H. Coulter Foundation Translational Partner.

Keynton’s area of expertise is development of biomedical micro-electromechanical systems (BioMEMS) and cardiovascular mechanics, the development of micro Total Analysis Systems (uTAS), experimental and computational microfluidics, acoustic transducer design and fabrication, and experimental fluid mechanics.

Keynton is an elected fellow in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES), and the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). He received his B.S. in Engineering Science and Mechanics from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Akron.

Provost Joan Lorden says: “UNC Charlotte has sought an experienced administrator, researcher and mentor who is innovative in cross-disciplinary and inter-institutional endeavors to lead our well-regarded College of Engineering. We believe Robert Keynton is that leader and we welcome him warmly as UNC Charlotte enters its next chapter as Charlotte’s urban research university.”