The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering welcomed four outstanding individuals to its leadership team over the past several months.
Steve Taylor, professor of biosystems engineering, was appointed associate dean for research on July 1. An Auburn faculty member since 1989, Taylor has also served as head of the Department of Biosystems Engineering and director of the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural engineering from the University of Florida and a doctorate in the same discipline from Texas A&M. Taylor succeeded Ralph Zee as associate dean for research.

Three new department chairs have also been appointed within the college this year.

John Evans, Charles D. Miller endowed chair, began his term as chair of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the beginning of the fall semester. Evans joined the Auburn Engineering faculty in 2001, following a 17-year career in the automotive industry with Chrysler Corp. and DaimlerChrysler in Huntsville. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Auburn in 1984 as well as master’s and doctoral degrees in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1987 and 1991, respectively.

N. Hari Narayanan, John H. and Gail Watson professor, was appointed chair of the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering beginning for the fall semester. An Auburn faculty member since 1996, Narayanan earned master’s degrees in automation and computer science from the Indian Institute of Science and the University of Rochester, respectively, and a doctorate in computer and information science from Ohio State University. He also holds a certificate in leadership, management and communication from George Washington University.

Brian Thurow, W. Allen and Martha Reed associate professor, began his term as chair of the Department of Aerospace Engineering this summer after serving as the acting department chair. Thurow joined the aerospace engineering faculty in 2005 after completing his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering at Ohio State University.