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UW–Madison names Devesh Ranjan dean of engineering College
Ranjan completed his bachelor of engineering in mechanical engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India in 2003.
Devesh Ranjan / Photo by Mikey Fuller, Georgia Tech
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has appointed Indian American mechanical engineer Devesh Ranjan as the 10th dean of its College of Engineering.
Ranjan, an alumnus of the university, will assume the role on June. 16, returning to Wisconsin after leading the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology.
“We are very fortunate to bring an engineer with Prof. Ranjan’s energy and vision back to Madison,” said UW–Madison provost Charles Isbell Jr. “His commitment to people and paving the way for their success is a perfect fit for a time of growth at the College of Engineering.”
Ranjan, who first arrived at UW–Madison in 2003 as a graduate student, expressed his excitement about returning to his alma mater.
“I’ve been blessed from that day onward,” said Ranjan. “The thing I say about UW–Madison is if you dream about doing something here, it will happen. It will happen because of the opportunity and the support here for you at UW–Madison.”
After earning his doctorate in mechanical engineering in 2007, Ranjan went on to a director’s postdoctoral fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He later joined Texas A&M University as a faculty member in 2009 before moving to Georgia Tech in 2014.
Ranjan’s research expertise spans complex fluid dynamics, including supersonic and hypersonic flows, power conversion systems, and advanced energy cycles. His contributions to the field have been widely recognized, earning him prestigious accolades such as the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award, and the Department of Energy Early Career Award—the first such recognition for a Georgia Tech faculty member. In 2021, he was named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Since 2022, Ranjan has led Georgia Tech’s Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, overseeing nearly 3,000 students and 95 faculty members. Under his leadership, he implemented community-building initiatives, strengthened interdisciplinary research collaborations, and expanded the school's engagement with industry partners.
At UW–Madison, Ranjan will succeed Grainger dean of Engineering Ian Robertson, who will continue as a faculty member in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Ranjan arrives at a pivotal moment, with major initiatives underway, including the development of the Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center—a 395,000-square-foot facility poised to enhance the college’s infrastructure and resources.
“We are a college which has absolutely phenomenal students both at undergraduate and graduate levels. They are truly the best and the brightest in the world,” Ranjan said. “But they also have amazing faculty and staff members to support them—people who have been there for 15, 20 years. They love the place. They really want to do bigger things with this new building coming in.”
Ranjan aims to foster stronger ties between the college and Wisconsin’s industry leaders, leveraging research and talent development to drive economic growth.
“I want to know how many of our people are now in CEO and CTO suites in the state of Wisconsin,” he said. “I’d love to meet those people, to understand how we can enhance our value proposition for the state.”
Ranjan earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from UW–Madison in 2007. He completed his bachelor of engineering in mechanical engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India in 2003.
The UW–Madison College of Engineering enrolls approximately 6,500 students across eight academic departments, offering a range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.
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