Dennis Assanis

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Dennis Assanis
Dionissios Nikolaou Assanis
Dennis Assanis, PCAST Member (cropped).jpg
Official portrait in 2022
Incoming 6th Chancellor of the
University of California, Santa Barbara
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 1, 2025
Thesis A computer simulation of the turbocharged turbo-compounded diesel engine system for studies of low heat rejection engine performance  (1986)

Dionissios "Dennis" Nikolaou Assanis [2] is a Greek-American mechanical engineer. He will serve as the 6th chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara beginning September 1, 2025.

Contents

Assanis served as the 28th president of the University of Delaware from June 2016 to June 2025 and as provost of Stony Brook University from 2011 to 2016.

Early life and education

Assanis was born and raised in Athens, Greece. [3]

Assanis received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in marine engineering from Newcastle University in England in 1980. He pursued graduated studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, receiving a Master of Science (MS) in naval architecture and marine engineering in 1982, an MS in mechanical engineering in 1982, a Doctor of Philosophy in power and propulsion in 1985, and an MS in management in 1986. [4] Assanis is currently a United States citizen. [1]

Career

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Assanis began his academic career at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering in September 1985. He was promoted to associate professor of mechanical engineering in August 1990. He also served as head of the Thermal Sciences/Systems Division II and as research scientist at the Office for Supercomputing Applications between 1990 and 1994. [4]

University of Michigan

Assanis joined the University of Michigan College of Engineering in September 1994 as a full professor of mechanical engineering, a role he held until his departure in September 2011. He was also a professor of applied physics from 2003 to 2011. He chaired the Department of Mechanical Engineering from January 2002 to August 2007. [4] He took a Regents-approved sabbatical leave from September 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008, citing the reason to write a textbook on internal combustion engines. [5]

He took on many roles, including serving as acting director of the Automotive Research Center from August to December 1995, then as deputy director from January 1996 to August 2000. Concurrently, he directed the W.E. Lay Automotive Laboratory from 1996 to 2011. He was associate director of the General Motors Satellite Research Laboratory from 1998 to 2002, and later became the founding co-director of the General Motors Collaborative Research Laboratory on Engine Systems from 2002 to 2011. He also served as founding director at the MEAM Automotive Engineering Program from 1995 to 1999 and at the College of Engineering Automotive Engineering Program from 1999 to 2002. [4]

Moreover, he held the Arthur F. Thurnau Professorship from 1999 to 2011. In 2000, he was appointed the Jon R. and Beverly S. Holt Professor of Engineering, a title he held until 2011. He became director of the Automotive Research Center from September 2000 to October 2009 and interim director of the College of Engineering Interdisciplinary Professional Programs in fall 2001. He was a fellow and later director of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute from 2007 to 2011. Additionally, he served as the founding director of the US–China Clean Energy Research Center for Clean Vehicles from 2010 to 2015. [4] [6]

Stony Brook and Delaware

Assanis served as provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Stony Brook University from October 1, 2011, to 2016. [7] He concurrently served as the university's vice president for Brookhaven National Laboratory affairs throughout his provostship from 2011 to 2016. [8] [9] [7]

Assanis served as the 28th president of the University of Delaware from June 6, 2016 to June 30, 2025. [10] [11] [12] On April 9, 2021, the Board of Trustees extended Assanis' contract, which was set to expire in June 2021, through June 2026. [13] On May 5, 2025, he announced that he would step down from the presidency on June 30. On May 13, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to award him an honorary doctorate and the title of president emeritus. [14]

UC Santa Barbara

On July 17, 2025, the University of California Board of Regents announced the appointment of Dennis Assanis as the 6th chancellor of the University of California, Santa Barbara; he would assume the role on September 1, 2025. [15]

Social engagement

In 2008, Assanis was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his "scientific contributions to improving fuel economy and reducing emissions of internal combustion engines, and for promoting automotive engineering education". [16]

On May 19, 2022, United States president Joe Biden appointed Assanis to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. [17] [18]

Personal life

Dennis Assanis's wife is Eleni Assanis. [19] [20]

References

  1. 1 2 Bjorkgren, David (2016-09-26). "University of Delaware's president, Dr. Dennis Assanis, aims for inclusive, thriving campus". Greek News | Hellenic News of America. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  2. ↑ "A computer simulation of the turbocharged turbo-compounded diesel engine system for studies of low heat rejection engine performance. - ProQuest". www.proquest.com. Archived from the original on 2025-01-23. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  3. ↑ "UD Messenger - Our UD - President Assanis". www1.udel.edu. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Curriculum Vitae of Dennis N. Assanis" (PDF). University of Delaware. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-07-18. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  5. ↑ "ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED LEAVES OF ABSENCE GRANTED TO REGULAR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF April, 2008" (PDF). The Regents of the University of Michigan. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  6. ↑ "U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center for Clean Vehicles (CERC-CVC) | Center for Sustainable Systems". css.umich.edu. October 2010. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  7. 1 2 "New Provost Dennis Assanis Starts October 1". stonybrook.edu. August 4, 2011. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  8. ↑ "5-13-15 Distinguished Professors". suny.edu. May 13, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  9. ↑ "Visiting university president Assanis encourages engineering collaboration | 01 | 05 | 2018 | News | Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station". tees.tamu.edu. Archived from the original on 2019-12-15. Retrieved 2019-12-15.
  10. ↑ "Transition plans; Dennis Assanis to take office as UD's next president June 6". udel.edu. April 5, 2016. Archived from the original on September 3, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  11. ↑ "UD's new president". udel.edu. Archived from the original on September 3, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Beginning a new chapter | UDaily". www.udel.edu. Retrieved 2019-04-25.
  13. ↑ Owens, Jacob (2021-04-09). "UD extends President Assanis' contract". Delaware Business Times. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  14. ↑ "University of Delaware president announces plans to step down". www.udel.edu. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  15. ↑ "Dennis Assanis appointed next UCSB chancellor | The Daily Nexus". The Daily Nexus | The University of California, Santa Barbara's independent, student-run newspaper. 2025-07-17. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  16. ↑ "Dr. Dennis N. Assanis". NAE Website. Archived from the original on 2019-04-26. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  17. ↑ Asif, Yusra (2022-05-20). "UD president appointed to president's national advisory council". Delaware Online. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  18. ↑ "Biden names UD President Assanis to national advisory group | UDaily". www.udel.edu. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  19. ↑ "Dr. Dennis Assanis appointed as UC Santa Barbara's next chancellor | University of California". www.universityofcalifornia.edu. 2025-07-17. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  20. ↑ Shannon, Josh (2025-05-16). "Assanis reflects on his successes, regrets as UD president". Newark Post. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
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