Joseph Rencis

Title
Associate Dean, School of Engineering and Professor, College of Aviation
Email
Department
School of Engineering
College
College of Aviation

Office Hours

7:00 am to 4:00 pm ET

Areas of Expertise

• Computational Mechanics: Boundary & Finite Elements and Molecular Dynamics

• Mechanics of Materials

• Engineering Education

Joseph Rencis

Dr. Rencis has been in higher education since 1985 and is a prominent figure in engineering education. Rencis is a first-generation college graduate and the grandson of poor immigrants from a working-class family in a small New Jersey town and rural county. In eighth grade, he had no desire to attend college, but enrolling in Sussex County Technical High School gave him with the direction, inspiration and skills to pursue education at a career-focused technical college. He obtained an A.A.S. and B.S. in architectural and building construction engineering technology from the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), where he has been honored with the Alumni Wall of Distinction. Additionally, he earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in civil engineering from Northwestern University and Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Rencis has held several academic and leadership positions in academia. He has been a tenured professor of mechanical engineering and director of engineering mechanics at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), department head of mechanical engineering, the twenty-first century leadership chair, and tenured professor at the University of Arkansas, and dean of engineering, Clay N. Hixson engineering leadership chair, and tenure professor at Tennessee Tech University (TTU), and dean of engineering and tenured professor at Cal Poly Pomona (CPP). Additionally, he has served as interim dean of engineering at the University at Albany, SUNY, and the University of Texas Permian Basin, as well as interim department head of mechanical engineering and professor of practice at the University of Texas at Dallas. Dr. Rencis is a tenured professor and associate dean of the School of Engineering in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide.

Dr. Rencis has experience in the aerospace field. He has worked on sponsored projects and established programs based on workforce needs. Rencis has worked at the Flight Dynamics Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the NASA-Glenn Research Center, the Phillips Laboratory at Hanscom Air Force Base, and the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center at Picatinny Arsenal. At WPI, he advised student project teams on the structural integrity of a NASA space shuttle GASCan project, co-developed an aerospace concentration and taught the aerospace structures course. At TTU, he collaborated with Arnold Air Force Base to develop the college’s first online master’s degree. At CPP, he co-led the establishment of on-site master’s degrees in aerospace, materials and mechanical engineering in the Antelope Valley to support the aerospace industry. As Dean at CPP, he led strategically increasing the ranking of the aerospace program at CPP to 3rd for institutions without a doctorate. The CPP B.S. in aerospace engineering was the largest in California. He has experience securing federal support for liquid propulsion and UAV programs at CPP with Edwards Air Force Base and federal congressional members.

Dr. Rencis has published over 140 journal and conference articles on boundary elements, finite elements, and engineering education. NSF, NASA, and industry have supported his research. He is an associate editor and editorial board member for four journals on engineering/STEM education and boundary elements. Rencis has also served as a reviewer for various journals, conferences and funding agencies.

Dr. Rencis has received various teaching, research, service and leadership awards. He is a fellow of ASME, ASEE, and the Wessex Institute of Great Britain. Some of the awards he has received 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, and the ASEE Northeastern Section Outstanding Teaching Award. Additionally, Rencis is a licensed professional engineer in Massachusetts.

Dr. Rencis has made significant service contributions to the field of engineering, showcasing a dedication to leadership and expertise.  He has served as the chair and vice-chair of the ASME mechanical engineering department heads committee, president of the ASEE, and director of the ASEE Engineering Deans Council Executive Board. Additionally, he has held leadership roles, including chair of the ASEE Mechanics Division, Mechanical Engineering Division, Midwest Section, and Professional Interest Council III. He has also served as an ABET program evaluator. Dr. Rencis serves as the vice chair of the ASEE Academy of Fellows.

  • 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