Wayne State Provost Nancy Barrett, who made the announcement, said Kummler is well-suited for the post. "The College of Engineering is poised to contribute in a major way to exciting new developments in a number of high tech areas that will bring new jobs to our state and improve the quality of life for millions of our citizens," Barrett said. "Dr. Kummler has the experience and creativity to maintain and increase the college's national and international visibility, and I am delighted that he has accepted this important leadership challenge."
Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid also lauded the appointment of Kummler, who becomes the College's seventh dean. "Dean Kummler has an impressive background in teaching, scholarship, and administration in the engineering community," Reid said.
"His dedication to Wayne State University and his conscientious leadership will continue to be an important asset for faculty, students, alumni and friends in the college."
As interim dean, Kummler presided the past few years over a steady rise in research activities, an increase in undergraduate and graduate enrollment, a significant increase in corporate and individual gifts, and new partnerships with Michigan's NextEnergy and WSU TechTown.
He will continue to work with his staff to recruit top faculty and undergraduate and graduate students, and to shape a curriculum developed for today's and tomorrow's emerging technology, he said. At Wayne State, students have the opportunity to pursue unique specialties such as alternative energy technology, entrepreneurial engineering, and production management leadership, he added, not to mention opportunities to participate in pioneering research activities and co-op programs as interns in local industry.
"I am both honored and excited about the university's trust in me to lead the college in meeting the challenges ahead and ensuring that our students are prepared to enter tomorrow's workforce," Kummler said.
Kummler has been at Wayne State for 34 years. He has served in a number of capacities, including chemical engineering professor, chair of the former chemical and metallurgical engineering department, associate dean for research and interim dean.
Kummler's research interests revolve around state environmental issues, including combined storm overflow studies on the Rouge and Detroit Rivers, industrial waste control, landfill gas emission studies, air pollution dispersion, and auto exhaust testing.
He is responsible for establishing the Hazardous Waste Program at Wayne State and promoting the professional field of certified Hazardous Material Managers nationwide.
Kummler earned a bachelor's in chemical engineering from Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.
With 83 tenure-track faculty members, the WSU College of Engineering is a significant provider of engineering talent to Michigan's engineering workforce and leadership. Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education, offering more than 330 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students in metro Detroit.