Q&A with the new Dean of Engineering at Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę
Rakesh Goel developed an interest in earthquakes at an early age ā andĀ rather abruptly.
As a small boy in India, one of his first memories is of experiencing anĀ earthquake.
"I must have been a few years old and there was a big earthquake,"Ā said Dr.Ā Goel. "I clung to the window, thinking that it was a big freight trainĀ going by the house."
After earning his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the IndianĀ Institute of Technology in Delhi, India, he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. inĀ structural engineering from UC Berkeley, where he was studying when theĀ 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake struck. The magnitude 6.9 quake, centered in theĀ Santa Cruz Mountains, struck on Oct. 17, killing 63 people, injuringĀ thousands and causing $6 billion in damages.
"That really left an indelible impression on me as to how earthquakes canĀ upend people's lives in a matter of seconds,"Ā said Goel.
While at Berkeley, heĀ was also part of a reconnaissance team for theĀ Northridge earthquake in 1994.
"It's unbelievable, the damage that you see."
He later traveled to India after a large earthquake there.
"I was talking to people there as to how it had impacted their lives. SomeĀ had just lost loved ones from collapsed buildings during the earthquake.Ā Looking into their eyes left a lasting impression on me ā I realized thatĀ there are things I could do to make an enormous impact in saving lives."
Goel said those experiences led him to work in applied research. Some ofĀ his work has been adopted into the California building code, which is usedĀ for design and safety assessment of buildings and bridges. He also hasĀ worked on seismic codes for analysis and design of near-shore piers andĀ wharves in California.
Goel, who most recently served as executive associate dean in the CollegeĀ of Engineering at California Polytechnic State University, took over asĀ dean of the Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę School of Engineering on Oct. 1. He recently sat downĀ to answer some questions.
Q. What drew you to Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę?
A. I have thought a lot about why Ā鶹ĪŽĀė°ę. I am a product of the oldestĀ campus in the UC system. It is exciting to come back to the newest campusĀ in the system and give back. I am drawn to the diversity of the studentĀ body here and what that means to the future ā of both the students and theĀ region (and beyond). I am a first-generation college student, and to beĀ able make a difference for a vast number of first-generation students onĀ this campus would be immensely rewarding. When I met students during myĀ interview, I really saw my own reflection in them. Finally, I found theĀ opportunity to be part of a fast-growing institution appealing as itĀ transitions from its start-up phase to a steady state. I see manyĀ opportunities on this campus to make a difference that can leave a lastingĀ impact of lives of students, faculty and staff.
Q. What do you hope to accomplish at the School of Engineering?
A. I am passionate about student success. Student success has manyĀ dimensions. It is about making sure students graduate in a timely manner,Ā and they can find good jobs. I also link it to the success of our facultyĀ and staff. We need to make sure our faculty are doing innovative research,Ā so we need to provide them with the facilities and support to thrive and beĀ successful. And our staff are the ones who make things happen in theĀ background. I want to make sure they are successful and have all theĀ support they need to be able to do their jobs. I am meeting with allĀ faculty and staff in the School of Engineering, and one of the questions IĀ am asking them is, "What makes you happy in your job here?"Ā and "How can IĀ partner with you to increase your happiness?"
Q. What are some of the challenges ahead?
A. The university is going to continue to grow in the next five to 10 yearsĀ anywhere from 50 to 75 percent. I do not talk about challenges; I talkĀ about opportunities. There is an opportunity to do thoughtful, plannedĀ growth. When we grow our student body, we need to make sure we have enoughĀ support, faculty, staff and facilities to provide them the best possibleĀ education. Another opportunity I see is to improve on the success of ourĀ students. When I look at the graduation rates we have right now, I think weĀ can do a lot better, and there is the opportunity to take it to the nextĀ level. There are aspirations for this university to become a Research 1university. We achieved R2 status in record time. Now, the opportunity isĀ to lead the School of Engineering as we continue to contribute to theĀ university achieving the R1 designation.
Q. What would you like people to know about you that they may not know?
A. I am a straight shooter. I am accessible. I like working with people.Ā And that means our students, faculty and staff, as well as the community.