Dr. George Nnanna head shot
Dr. Nnanna hopes to build on that success, bringing his expertise to the table

It is a new chapter for the UT Permian Basin College of Engineering as Dr. George Nnanna takes the helm as Dean.

He’s coming in to an already successful program. New numbers show that 89-percent of UT Permian Basin students passed the Fundamental of Engineering Exam. That’s nine-percent higher than the national average.

“What that tells us is that students here are well prepared for the work force,” Dr. Nnanna said.

Dr. Nnanna hopes to build on that success, bringing his expertise to the table. Dr. Nnanna comes to UT Permian Basin after serving as head of the mechanical and civil engineering departments at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Texas Tech University and his master’s and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Dr. Nnanna led the Purdue Water Institute from 2007 to present. During that time, it has grown to include a water research laboratory that manages several multi-million dollar externally funded projects. Under his leadership, the mechanical and civil engineering department at Purdue Northwest saw increased enrollment; research and scholarly activities doubled; industrial partnerships increased; and fundraising efforts including endowments grew.

Also new to the College of Engineering: two new programs will be offered this Fall – Chemical and Electrical Engineering.

“Adding two new disciplines will help us become a more comprehensive engineering college,” Dr. Nnanna said.

Dr. Nnanna also hopes to grow the undergrad program into a master’s program in the future.

“I’d really like to see us become a one-stop shop where engineers are trained and put in the field,” he said.

All engineering programs will soon be housed in a brand new state-of-the-art, three story complex that’s currently under construction.

In his free time, Dr. Nnanna enjoys playing soccer and attending activities at his church.