A New Era of Leadership: SSE Welcomes a New Associate Dean and Seven Department Chairs
The Tulane University School of Science and Engineering (SSE) is entering an exciting new chapter of growth, community engagement, and academic innovation. In keeping with the school’s strategic vision, SSE welcomes a new Associate Dean and seven department chairs, a leadership team that will serve its students, faculty, staff, and alumni and advance its mission of rigorous, collaborative scholarship and global impact.
“Each of these colleagues pairs deep scholarship with a deeper commitment to our people: the students, faculty, staff, and alumni who make SSE what it is,” said SSE Dean Hridesh Rajan. “I am grateful they said yes to leading, because they build community as rigorously as they build knowledge. That is the standard for leadership in this school.”
Steering Master’s Programs & Professional Education
Dr. Ilianna Kwaske, Associate Dean for MS Programs and Professional Education
Effective May 16, Dr. Ilianna Kwaske joined the SSE Dean’s Office to lead the school’s master’s programs and professional education. She joins SSE from Tulane’s School of Professional Advancement (SoPA), where she had served with distinction since 2017. Holding a Ph.D. in industrial-organizational psychology, Dr. Kwaske brings over two decades of expertise spanning higher education and business consulting, with a proven track record in strategic planning, program development, and managing organizational change. At SoPA, she led transformative initiatives in curriculum development, faculty excellence, accreditation, and student success, while guiding high-performing teams through substantial growth in enrollment, revenue, and giving.
In addition to her new administrative role, she will serve as a Senior Professor of Practice in the Department of Psychology. Dean Rajan noted that her decades of experience will be a “tremendous asset” as SSE expands its graduate offerings and deepens interdisciplinary collaboration, both priorities in the school’s plans for growth.
A Wave of New Department Chairs
The school is also welcoming seven accomplished faculty members to department chair roles, each bringing a clear vision to strengthen their departments and to support the students, faculty, and staff within them.
Dr. Hank Ashbaugh (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering): A faculty member since 2004, Dr. Ashbaugh takes over as permanent chair of CBE after a successful term as interim chair. Known for his expertise in molecular theory and complex systems, he has made organizational storytelling and public outreach core tenets of his leadership. By revitalizing the department’s “visibility committee,” he aims to showcase the everyday impact of chemical engineering through student spotlights and lab-side profiles.
Dr. Esther Calzada (Department of Psychology): Recruited to Tulane this fall from the University of Texas at Austin, where she served as Associate Dean for Research in the School of Social Work, Dr. Calzada is a nationally recognized child psychologist. Her NIH- and NSF-supported research focuses on how culture, identity, and schools shape the mental health of Latinx and immigrant children. Drawn to Tulane’s rich tradition of service learning, Dr. Calzada is eager to connect psychological science with the real-world fabric of New Orleans. “I don’t believe as much in knowledge for the sake of knowledge,” she shared. “I believe in knowledge for the sake of human good.”
Dr. Bruce C. Gibb (Department of Chemistry): Stepping into leadership for the Department of Chemistry is Dr. Bruce C. Gibb, an internationally renowned researcher elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2018. Originally from Scotland, where he earned his Ph.D. from Robert Gordon University, Dr. Gibb joined the Tulane faculty in 2012. He is a leading authority in aqueous supramolecular chemistry, specializing in how molecules self-assemble, and serves as the co-editor-in-chief of the journal Supramolecular Chemistry. Dr. Gibb’s deep dedication to fundamental chemical discovery brings seasoned scientific leadership to the department.
Dr. Ryan Glasser (Department of Physics and Engineering Physics): Since coming to Tulane in 2014 from an NRC postdoctoral fellowship at NIST, Dr. Glasser has championed a highly collaborative, undergraduate-centered research culture. Stepping into the chair role during a period of significant departmental growth, he will lead the launch of two new master’s programs in electrical and mechanical engineering in fall 2026, a cornerstone of the school’s plan to expand engineering education at Tulane.
Dr. Michelle Lacey (Department of Mathematics): A cornerstone of the mathematics faculty since 2003, Dr. Lacey holds a Ph.D. in Statistics from Yale University. Promoted to full Professor in 2023, she also brings a valuable interdisciplinary perspective as an adjunct faculty member in Biostatistics and an affiliate of the Tulane Cancer Center. Her specialized research in statistical modeling, stochastic processes, and epigenetics reinforces the department’s standard for rigorous data-driven inquiry.
Dr. Lu Peng (Department of Computer Science): Stepping in as interim chair is Dr. Lu Peng, who holds the prestigious Yahoo! Founder Chair in Science and Engineering. A senior member of the IEEE and ACM, Dr. Peng earned his Ph.D. from the University of Florida. His pioneering research focuses on computer systems architecture, quantum processors, blockchain applications, and accelerators for deep learning neural networks. Dr. Peng’s technical depth ensures steady, forward-thinking leadership for the department during this transition.
Dr. Sunshine Van Bael (Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology): Having joined Tulane in 2012 following her work at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, Dr. Van Bael has purposefully trained for university leadership through Tulane’s Leadership Institute and the Center for Restorative Approaches. Her research bridges tropical forests with Louisiana’s coastal ecosystems. As chair, she aims to secure field-research grants for PhD candidates, safeguard and relocate Tulane’s world-class freshwater fish museum collection, and help students build resilience in the face of climate anxiety.
These leaders work in fields as varied as quantum physics, child psychology, ecosystem conservation, and statistical theory. They are united by a philosophy at the heart of SSE’s vision for its future: build small, deeply collaborative, and supportive communities where students, faculty, and staff can do their best work. As they take up their new roles, they will shape a school whose research and teaching serve its students, its alumni, and the wider New Orleans community, true to the SSE ethos of science and engineering for better lives.
