A
look back. . .
Four nearly four decades, Tom Keinath has been part of the Clemson
family. On this page, Earnest provides a brief look back at his
tenure as Dean of the College of Engineering and Science. It’s
evident that he was able to accomplish the goal of creating an environment
that enabled the college’s faculty and staff to advance the
college (see the “From the Dean” column, this page).
He joined the faculty in 1969, as an assistant professor in environmental
systems engineering. He became department chair seven years later,
and served in that capacity until he was named Dean of the College
of Engineering on July 1, 1992. After a university restructuring
in 1995, he became the first Dean of the new College of Engineering
and Science.
As Dean, he oversees 12 academic departments with an enrollment
of approximately 5,000 students.
Early photo of Tom and other Environmental Systems
Engineering faculty.
Can you pick out the future Dean? Tom and other environmental systems
engineering faculty are shown at a conference at Table Rock. Hint:
Even early in his career, he exhibited the well-defined sense of
style that he is known for today.
Thomas M. Keinath’s Major Career
Milestones
Personal and Professional
- Directed the research of 63 master’s thesis students,
16 Ph.D dissertation students, and 8 postdoctoral students
- Completed two two-year terms as President and Chair of the
International Water Association’s Executive Committee and
Governing Board; President of the Association of Environmental
Engineering Professors
- Published extensively in the technical literature, including
four books or monographs, and well over 100 technical papers
- Honored with the Association of Environmental Engineering and
Science Professors’ Founder’s Award for sustained
and outstanding contributions to environmental engineering education
- Received the 1997 Gordon Maskew Fair Medal by the Water Environment
Federation for his lifetime accomplishments in the education of
environmental engineering professionals
- Received the Distinguished Contributor Award from President’s
Commission on the Status of Women at Clemson
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Clemson Engineering was
the predecessor of Earnest. This special edition announced
Tom's appointment as Dean of the College of Engineering. |
| Engineering and
science students have considered Tom to be Top-20 for years.
How many college deans drive a 1966 drop-top Mustang? |
Strategic Achievements in the College of Engineering and
Science
- After a university restructuring in 1995, became the first
Dean of the new College of Engineering and Science, melding initially
disparate academic units into a model of multidisciplinary collaboration
and collegiality
- Successfully guided college through three successive ABET accreditation
reviews
- Led the effort to enhance the quality of entering freshman.
In 1996 the mean SAT of entering CoES freshman was 1188. In 2005,
the mean SAT was 1255 – an astonishing increase of 67 points
in 10 years!
- Increased the emphasis on recruiting and retaining women in
science and engineering through the establishment of the Women
in Science and Engineering (WISE) program
- Research volume increased under his leadership, from approximately
$15M in 1995 to $57M in 2005. The College is by far the largest
producer of competitive research in the entire University (ca.
60%).
- Made significant contributions to the college’s facilities
development through new construction and renovation: Advanced
Materials Laboratory, ARTS Building, McAdams Hall Annex, Rich
Lab, and RUST Building. Renovations expanded facilities and capabilities
in: the Griffith Building, Riggs, Olin, Martin, Freeman, Holtzendorff
and Rhodes Hall.
- Fostered enhancement of the Freshman Engineering Program into
the current highly effective General Engineering Program for entering
engineering freshmen
- The former departments of geological science and environmental
engineering and science were merged to form an even stronger unit
called the School the Environment.
- The former School of Textiles, Fiber and Polymer Science and
the former department of ceramic and materials engineering merged
to form the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
- Led the establishment of collaborative educational initiatives
which included the Master of Fine Arts in Computing [MFAC] (CoES
& CoAAH) and E-Commerce MS Degree (CoES & CoBBS)
- During his tenure, the Center for Advanced Engineering Fibers
and Films was designated as a National Science Foundation Engineering
Research Center.
- Worked to launch four academic and research centers, providing
the opportunity for cross-discipline collaboration: Center for
Wireless Communications, Center for Optical Materials Science
and Engineering Technology, the Center for Nuclear Environmental
Engineering Science and Radioactive Waste Management, and the
International Center for Automotive Research.
- Established the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and
Scientists to recognize engineers and scientists who have brought
distinction to Clemson University
- Appointed the first two female department chairs in the college’s
history
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Tom’s commitment
to Clemson extends well beyond his defined responsibilities
as the CoES Dean. Here, he joins other staff members for Clemson
Sweep, the university’s spring-cleaning, campus improvement
day. |
| Tom’s wife,
Karen has also retired as director of the Episcopal Day School,
which means they’ll have more time for recreation. Here,
they’re in Colorado, with their son Michael.
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