OSU's Karl Reid retires as dean of College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Monday, October 25, 2010
Reid, who in addition to dean is professor of Mechanical Engineering, received the
Doctor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, and BS (petroleum option) and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering
from OSU.
He served on the faculty at M.I.T. for four years, coming to OSU in 1964 as an assistant
professor. He served as head of the School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at
OSU from 1976-1986 prior to assuming his current position as dean in 1986. Counting
his time as a student, Reid has been at OSU 51 years.
He is the tenth dean to lead the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
and at 24 years, he is the college’s longest serving dean.
“Dean Reid has had a remarkable career and been an incredible ambassador for CEAT
and Oklahoma State,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “His 46 years of service are
a testament to his passion, energy and commitment to students. We applaud Karl for
his accomplishments and deeply appreciate all he has done for OSU. We wish him and
his wife Verna Lou all the best.”
OSU Provost Robert Sternberg said, “Dr. Reid has provided exemplary leadership for
a college that features many of OSU’s premier programs. On behalf of our entire academic
team, I want to thank him and congratulate him for his lasting impact on OSU.”
Reid said, “I have been blessed with good health, high energy, and the opportunity
to work with many excellent leaders at OSU. I have considered it a very special privilege
to work with an exceptional group of faculty who share my desire to serve our students
and our many constituencies with a high level of excellence. Those who know me well
realize my passion for students. They are the reason we are all here, and one of
the main reasons academe is so fulfilling.”
His list of appointments and honors is long and impressive.
Dr. Reid is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a Fellow
of the American Society for Engineering Education. He is an appointee of the Governor
of Oklahoma to the Oklahoma Science & Technology Research & Development Board, and
a member of the Applied Research Committee of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement
of Science and Technology.
He served as first Chair of the Executive Board of the Oklahoma Transportation Center,
which is federally funded as a University Transportation Center, and as a member of
the Oklahoma Quality Investment Committee.
Dr. Reid was founding director of the Oklahoma Center for Integrated Design and Manufacturing.
He is the founder and director of the Web Handling Research Center at OSU, initiated
in 1986 as an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center.
He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Technological
University, Chairman of the Education Advisory Group of the National Society of Professional
Engineers, and member of the Executive Board of the Engineering Deans Council of the
American Society for Engineering Education. He has held several positions in the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Science Foundation.
Reid led the planning and development of the Advanced Technology Research Center
which was opened on the OSU Stillwater campus in 1993. He led the planning and development
of the Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center which was opened on the OSU-Tulsa
campus in 2008.
Since 1989, Dr. Reid has initiated four unique scholarship and enrichment programs
for high achieving students, and provides leadership to those programs. The programs
involve scholarships and enrichment programs, board room visits, industrial mentors
from industry, and study abroad experiences. The newest program involves a one-year
study abroad for the master’s degree at the University of Cambridge. Since 1993,
Reid has planned 16 mini-study abroad trips to Japan for Engineering Scholars at OSU,
and has led 12 of those.
His technical interests are in the areas of system dynamics and automatic control,
biomedical and process instrumentation, and computer-aided design. He is the author
of more than 30 refereed journal papers and four book chapters, and holds four U.S.
patents. Reid is married to Dr. Verna Lou Reid, a retired counselor. They have two
married sons, and both own and operate software businesses.
Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines
to better prepare students for success. Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide
presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world
through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than
35,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 23,000 on its Stillwater
campus, with students from all 50 states and 118 nations. Established in 1890, OSU
has graduated more than 200,000 students who have made a lasting impact on Oklahoma
and the world.