Joseph John Rencis

Title
Associate Dean; Professor
Email
Department
School of Engineering
College
College of Aviation

Office Hours

6:00 am to 3:00 pm ET

Areas of Expertise

• Computational Mechanics: Boundary & Finite Elements and Molecular Dynamics

• Mechanics of Materials

• Engineering Education

Joseph John Rencis

Dr. Joseph J. Rencis serves as associate dean for the School of Engineering and a professor in the College of Aviation. He joined the School of Engineering Worldwide in 2024 with a vision of becoming the leading online engineering program, equipping students with the skills and knowledge to innovate, excel, and transform industries worldwide.

He holds a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University and Northwestern University. He takes pride in being a first-generation college graduate with a humble background. Education, Excellence, and Ethics were the guiding principles of his career. He chose a path in higher education because he wanted to make a meaningful impact on students during a critical stage of their personal development, hoping that they would make a more significant contribution to the world than he could as an individual. He has been in higher education since 1985 and is a prominent national engineering leadership and education figure. His leadership philosophy is “It’s all about the students.” He practices a leadership style guided by Inspiration, Innovation, and Inclusion. He started his career in the mechanical engineering department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and was a tenured professor and director of engineering mechanics. Past leadership roles included dean of engineering (Tennessee Tech, Cal Poly Pomona, University of Albany, SUNY, and UT Permian Basin) and department head of mechanical engineering (University of Arkansas and UT Dallas). Additional experience includes working at Air Force, Army, and NASA research labs.

Dr. Rencis specializes in computation mechanics with applications in error estimation, adaptive refinement, equation solvers, and molecular dynamics. These research contributions have been implemented into commercial boundary and finite element codes. He specializes in engineering education to enhance student learning and success in mechanics and finite element methods.

With over 140 journal and conference publications, Dr. Rencis is widely recognized for valuable contributions to computational mechanics and engineering education. He has made significant service contributions to engineering, showcasing a dedication to leadership and expertise. He was the president of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), director of the ASEE Engineering Deans Council Executive Board, and chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Department Heads Committee. He is a fellow of ASEE, ASME, and the Wessex Institute of Great Britain. Some significant awards include the ASEE Hall of Fame, the ASEE Mechanical Engineering Division Ralph Coats Roe Award, the ASEE Isadore T. Davis Award for Excellence in Collaboration of Engineering Education and Industry, the ASEE Mechanics Division Archie Higdon Distinguished Education Award, the ASEE Northeastern Section Outstanding Teaching Award, and the ASME Edwin F. Church Medal. Additionally, Rencis is a licensed professional engineer in Massachusetts.

  • Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering, Case Western Reserve University
  • M.S. - Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Northwestern University
  • B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Architectural and Building Construction Engineering Technology, Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • A.A.S. - Associate of Applied Science in Architectural and Building Construction Engineering Technology, Milwaukee School of Engineering
  • Journal Papers. 37 journal papers with 9 BS, 15 MS, and 17 PhD co-authors.
  • Conference Papers. 116 conference papers with 28 BS, 37 MS, and 28 PhD co-authors.  Includes presentations.
  • Technical Reports. 3 technical reports with 1 MS and 1 PhD co-authors.
  • Conference Presentations. 82 conference presentations and posters with 16 BS, 8 MS, and 23 PhD presenters.
  • Conference Awards. Papers: 5; Presentations: 10.
  • Recent Publications:
    • Jain, T.S., Noori, M., Rencis, J.J., Anderson, A, Noori, N., and Hazelwood, S., “Finite Element Analysis of the Bearing Component of Total Ankle Replacement Implants During the Stance Phase of Gait,” BioMedInformatics, 2024.
    • Rencis, J.J. and Grandin, H.T., “Work in Progress: Integrating Fundamental Stress Analysis Concepts into Statics,” 2024 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, OR, June 23-26, 2024.
    • Rencis, J.J. and Grandin, H.T., “A General Structured Procedure to Solve Machine Design Problems,” 2021 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition, Virtual Meeting, July 26-29, 2021.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Embry-Riddle), Worldwide, College of Aviation, School of Engineering, Daytona Beach, FL.

  • Associate Dean of Engineering, July 2024 to present.
  • Tenured Professor of Engineering, July 2024 to present.

The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas), Erik Johnson School of Engineering and Computer Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Richardson, TX.

  • Interim Department Head of Mechanical Engineering, July 2023 to July 2024.
  • Professor of Practice, July 2023 to July 2024.
  • I had a one-year contract as interim Department Head with time-critical expectations through The Registry, an interim search firm.

The University of Texas Permian Basin (UT Permian Basin), College of Engineering, Midland, TX.

  • Interim Dean of Engineering, January 2023 to June 2023.
  • I have a six-month contract as interim Dean with time-critical expectations through The Registry, an interim search firm. 

University at Albany - State University of New York (UAlbany), College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Albany, NY.

  • Interim Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences, July 2022 to August 2022.
  • I had a one-year contract as interim Dean with time-critical expectations through The Registry, an interim search firm.

K2OHSolutions, LLC, Boise, ID.

  • Senior Consultant, September 2021 to June 2022 and September 2022 to December 2022.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona), Pomona, CA.

  • Dean of Engineering, August 2017 to June 2020.
  • Tenured Professor of Mechanical Engineering, August 2017 to August 2021.

Tennessee Technological University (Tennessee Tech), College of Engineering, Cookeville, TN.

  • Dean of Engineering, September 2011 to August 2017.
  • Inaugural Holder Clay N. Hixson Chair for Engineering Leadership, September 2011 to August 2017.
  • Tenured Professor of Mechanical Engineering, September 2011 to August 2017.

University of Arkansas, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Fayetteville, AR.

  • Department Head of Mechanical Engineering, 2004-10 (One Five Year Term plus One Year).
  • Inaugural Holder of the Twenty-first Century Leadership Chair in Mechanical Engineering, September 2007 to June 2010.
  • Tenured Professor and Graduate Faculty Member, September 2004 to August 2011.
  • Sabbatical, August 2010 to December 2010.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Mechanical Engineering Department, Worcester, MA.

  • Engineering Mechanics Director, 1995-2004.
  • Tenured Professor of Engineering Mechanics and Design, July 2000 to August 2004.
  • Russell D. Searle Distinguished Instructor, July 1994 to June 1995.
  • Tenured Associate Professor, July 1991.
  • Associate Professor of Engineering Mechanics, July 1990 to June 2000.
  • Assistant Professor of Engineering Mechanics, August 1985 to June 1990.
  • ASEE Fellow
  • ASME Fellow
  • Wessex Institute of Great Britain Fellow
  • Registered Professional Engineer, State of Massachusetts
  • American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) President
  • ASEE Hall of Fame
  • ASEE Mechanical Engineering Division Ralph Coats Roe Award
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Edwin F. Church Medal
  • ASEE Isadore T. Davis Award for Excellence in Collaboration of Engineering Education and Industry
  • ​Milwaukee School of Engineering Alumni Wall of Distinction
  • ASEE Mechanics Division Archie Higdon Distinguished Educator Award
  • Tennessee Tech University Inaugural Clay N. Hixson Chair for Engineering Leadership
  • ASEE Midwest Section Outstanding Service Award
  • Southeastern Conference Academic Consortium Academic Leadership Development Program Inaugural Class
  • ASME Mechanical Engineering Department Heads Committee Chair
  • ASEE Mechanics Division James L. Meriam Service Award
  • University of Arkansas Inaugural Twenty-first Century Leadership Chair in Mechanical Engineering
  • ASEE Northeastern Section Outstanding Leader
  • ASEE Northeast Section Teacher of the Year
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Russell D. Searle Distinguished Instructor