Dr. Nandika D’Souza
Career Highlights
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Research Areas
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Introducing Our New Associate Dean
Dr. Nandika D’Souza, a dynamic leader in increasing student success and spearheading collaborative initiatives, has been named associate dean for strategic initiatives in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at The University of Texas at Dallas.
D’Souza was most recently the associate dean of academic affairs for the College of Engineering at the University of North Texas, where she led a university-wide task force on developing a student-centered experience for graduate students and oversaw the creation of a new, singular system of student support with multiple campus stakeholders, among other signature achievements. Her appointment at The University of Texas at Dallas begins June 1, 2024.
“The Jonsson School is a research leader in various areas, so it is as crucial we also lead when it comes to instilling a passion for lifelong learning in all of our students,” said Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, dean of the Jonsson School, holder of the Lars Magnus Ericsson Chair and professor of systems engineering. “The work Nandika has done over the course of her career to date has illustrated a fervent belief in the value of encouraging growth and opening students’ eyes to the possibilities academia can offer.
“That passion, coupled with her visibility in the mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering communities, and her advocacy for broadening participation in engineering and computer science, makes her an exemplary fit for this position.”
D’Souza’s career to date includes multiple awards for impact and education from the Society of Women Engineers, as well as a distinguished service award from the Women in Engineering Proactive Network, research leadership awards from UNT, a fellowship from the Society of Plastics Engineers, and engineer of the year honors from ASME Electronics and Photonics Packaging Division.
The blend of academic accomplishment and administrative achievement has been a constant throughout D’Souza’s educational and professional journey, making her transition to the Jonsson School, itself a major driver of rapid growth at UT Dallas — the second-fastest growing public doctoral university in the country, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education — an ideal match of individual and institution.
“The organizational design of universities works well when academic affairs enlists the faculty to serve students and research enables a contemporary workforce,” D’Souza said. “When one can pair academic affairs, such as curricular development and research to grow experiences for students that serves them and industry in a win-win partnership, lifelong learning is enabled.”
Collaboration and Innovation
D’Souza’s extensive experience in centering students within the collegiate ecosystem and passion for enabling lifelong learning aligns with the position of associate dean for strategic initiative’s stated goals of promoting an environment where all members of the academic community have an equal opportunity to succeed and feel a sense of belonging, as well as helping build a bridge between internal and external partners, growing professional, undergraduate and graduate certification programs.
In joining the Jonsson School, D’Souza is continuing the collaborative, innovative work she has made the focal point of her academic and professional career, reaching across the gap between the classroom and the workplace to ensure all parties involved are enriched by their interactions.
Among other highlights, D’Souza has helped grow dual enrollment pathways for students from seven community colleges in Texas and two in Oklahoma, Texas Woman’s University and high school to Honors College to attain degrees in undergraduate, fast-track masters and doctoral programs; has expanded undergraduate research fellowships with proactive pairing of high research active faculty by 110% for the years prior to and following the COVID-19 pandemic, and created clear expectations for graduate students in professional, dual major-stackable certificate, non-thesis, thesis and dissertation programs.
“These efforts have transformed the university experience through extensive collaboration,” D’Souza said.
“The Jonsson School is a research leader in various areas, so it is as crucial we also lead when it comes to instilling a passion for lifelong learning in all of our students. The work Nandika has done over the course of her career to date has illustrated a fervent belief in the value of encouraging growth and opening students’ eyes to the possibilities academia can offer. That passion, coupled with her visibility in the mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering communities, and her advocacy for broadening participation in engineering and computer science, makes her an exemplary fit for this position.”
Dr. Stephanie G. Adams
Jonsson School dean and Lars Magnus Ericsson Chair
Helping Stimulate Continued Learning
D’Souza spent 28 years at UNT, during which time she was primarily affiliated with the College of Engineering. For the entirety of her tenure at UNT, D’Souza served as faculty within the Department of Materials Science, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering/Materials Science and Engineering, or Mechanical and Energy Engineering.
“My teaching philosophy is to spark curiosity, increase self-confidence through scaling the complexity of the activity over the degree and semester, develop flexible equitable systems of learning and harness the passions of the student’s interests to stimulate a life of continued learning and accomplishment,” D’Souza said.
She advised 15 doctoral students, 24 masters students and 49 undergraduate students to conduct research in polymers and composites. D’Souza also formed and advised new chapters for Society of Plastics Engineers, Society for Advanced Materials and Process Engineering, Materials Research Society, Materials Advantage, Society of Women Engineers and advised the National Society of Black Engineers. Additionally, she launched an Honors Garden with Sigma Xi, Pi Tau Sigma, Eta Kappa Nu and Alpha Sigma Mu.
In 2015, D’Souza was named a Regents Professor, a designation conferred at UNT for “demonstrated excellence in all three aspects of teaching, research and service to the professional community.”
D’Souza has also earned over $5.6 million in research grants to date, with studies around Tunable Thermal Conductivity, Dielectric Strength Biobased Molding Compounds and Die-Attach Adhesives; Engineering Fully Biobased Foams for the Building Industry; High-Thermal Conductivity and High-Electric Insulation Polymers, and Bioinspired Coatings for Corrosion Resistance, among the more than 30 projects she’s undertaken thus far in her career.
In parallel to her teaching and research portfolios, D’Souza, in her various administrative roles, served as the associate dean of academic affairs, associate dean of undergraduate programs and a regents professor for UNT’s College of Engineering, as well as the associate chair of UNT’s mechanical and energy engineering department.
She supervised engineering offices of undergraduate and graduate programs charged with recruiting, retention, advising and student success for 11 master’s and five doctoral graduate programs and 10 undergraduate programs; created the “You Belong in Research” program to actively guide undergraduate and graduate students on options, application packages, networking strategies, writing for external scholarship and research internship opportunities; built a Faculty Fellow program to engage students in undergraduate levels to receive mentorship, research, external internships, study abroad opportunities and industry certifications paired to ABET and SACS requirements, and grew undergraduate research fellowships with the honors college by 110 percent over three years, engaging faculty mentors within and external to the College of Engineering.
D’Souza also served as a graduate research and teaching assistant at Texas A&M University and a graduate research assistant at Auburn University.
“My experience working on pathways from schools and community colleges to engineering and computer science, service on national, state and regional committees and training in a range of workforce initiatives has prepared me for this position in the Jonsson School,” D’Souza said. “This success was enabled through teaming with a range of institutional departments. I see the rewards of bridging research and education reflected in the grants for workforce development being awarded to a UTD faculty that have extraordinary research credibility. Thus, this is an exciting time to create the organizational frameworks to serve students and faculty at UTD.”
Academic Experience
Education
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Research Areas
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