OXFORD,
Miss. – As the chief scientist in the U.S. Army Research Office,
Arunachalam Rajendran was the civilian equivalent of a brigadier
general. His 20-year career is full of awards and honors, recognizing
his research achievements and scholarship. A fellow in several
professional societies, he is internationally known and highly
respected among those in his field.
Notwithstanding, Rajendran still felt something was missing from his professional life.
“I
wanted to make a significant contribution to improving both research
and teaching in higher education,” said Rajendran, who on Oct. 1
assumed his duties as the new chair of mechanical engineering at the
University of Mississippi. “I had contacts and offers from Jackson
State University and Mississippi State University, but I never even
applied. This is the right place and the right time for me.”
Rajendran came to the university through what he sees as a fortuitous series of events.
“I was presenting a talk at a U.S. Navy conference in Washington, D.C., when I met two UM faculty members who were also there,” he said. “During one of our conversations, I mentioned I was looking to re-enter higher education. They informed me that the ME chair’s position would soon be vacant and encouraged me to consider applying for it.”
Kai Fong Lee, dean of the School of Engineering, said Rajendran’s extensive administrative and research experience is highly respected in the academic community.
“We look forward to the Department of Mechanical Engineering reaching another level of excellence under his leadership,” Lee said.
Rajendran said he also anticipates great things for the department and the university.
“With the creation of the Center for Manufacturing Excellence, there is a major opportunity for growth of the mechanical engineering program here,” he said. “By increasing our faculty and becoming highly competitive with programs at other universities, we are on the launch pad to international acclaim.”
A firm believer that personal relationships are key to success, Rajendran said he wants to see mechanical engineering be research-driven and student-focused.
“I hope to convince our faculty to not only achieve excellence in teaching but a commitment to professional development and research as well,” he said. “We need a traditional approach when it comes to teaching and a non-traditional approach when it comes to research. Interdisciplinary collaborations are essential in order to remain competitive.”
Born and raised in India, Rajendran earned his doctorate from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering at the University of Washington. Before serving as chief scientist in the Army Research Office, he was a team leader at Army Research Laboratory in Maryland, a mechanical engineer at the Army Materials Technology Laboratory in Massachusetts, and a group leader and associate research engineer at the University of Dayton Research Institute in Ohio.
Rajendran’s awards include ICCES’s Professor Eric Reissner Medal, the Army’s Research & Development Achievement Award, the Wohlleben/Hochwalt Award and Martin/Marietta’s Manned Space Systems Award. He is a member of the American Physical Society, an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a fellow of both the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Army Research Laboratory.
When not at work, Rajendran enjoys helping raise funds for charitable nonprofit organizations, listening to music and watching movies. He and his wife, Pankajam (Pam), have two adult daughters, Nithya and Preyna.
For more information about the Department of Mechanical Engineering, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/mechanical?eng/ .