I am honored to address you — our alumni, faculty, staff, friends and corporate partners — in this first issue of Auburn Engineer during my tenure as the new dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.

Serving this phenomenal college and the Department of Chemical Engineering for the past 20 years has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I am so thankful for the support of the chemical engineering department faculty, staff, students and alumni for the past decade during my time as department chair, and I am humbled by this opportunity to take Auburn Engineering to the next level. I would also like to thank former Interim Dean Steve Taylor, who currently serves as Auburn’s senior vice president for research and economic development, for his dedication to the college during this yearlong transition.

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering is a special place made up of people from all walks of life who share our vision to provide our students with the most exceptional experience while also helping to change the world through innovative and groundbreaking research. As former engineering dean and current President Chris Roberts often says, “we’ve earned the right to dream the biggest dreams,” and that’s exactly what we’re going to do. We’re going to provide our students with the tools and competencies to go out into the world — as leaders — and change it for the better. We’re going to pioneer research that improves lives, makes our country safer and drives our economy. We’re going to be a leader for this great state to ensure that generations long after us are afforded every opportunity to succeed and thrive.

But we can’t do it alone. It is going to take all of us — faculty, staff, alumni and friends, as well as strategic regional and national partners — rowing in the same direction to get us to our rightful place among the most elite engineering institutions in the county. And I am fully committed to doing everything I can to help us get there.

I’ve spent nearly my entire professional life here at this great university, and I look forward to many more years to come. I thank you all for your hard work and commitment to making ours the best student-centered engineering experience in America. I am eager to work alongside you as we continue our upward trajectory. This is truly a group effort, and together we can achieve even greater things because we believe in Auburn and love it.

War Eagle!

Mario R. Eden