Charles Westgate Named Associate Dean of Engineering By Ken Keatley As an amateur bicyclist, Charles R. Westgate pedals as fast as he can during sprints around Lake Montebello. He's not one to coast on the job, either, especially now that he's added new administrative responsibilities to his teaching and research duties. Last week, Dr. Westgate--the William B. Kouwenhoven Professor of Electrical Engineering--was named associate dean for academic affairs for the School of Engineering, effective Sept. 15. He replaces Ross Corotis, who is leaving Hopkins to assume the position of dean of engineering and applied sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder. "It's an opportunity to make a contribution in an area that I care about," Dr. Westgate said. "But it requires partitioning your time. Ross Corotis was very efficient at doing that, and I hope I can do it as well." A member of the Hopkins faculty since 1966, Dr. Westgate has also maintained an appointment on the principal professional staff of the university's Applied Physics Laboratory. That experience, and prior stints as associate dean for the part-time engineering graduate program and chairman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, made him the best choice for the position, Dean Don Giddens said. "I believe Professor Westgate will bring a strong and active commitment to undergraduate and part-time education," Dr. Giddens said. "His administrative experience gives him the background that will enable him to move quickly in assuming a leading role in academic affairs for the school." Dr. Westgate is especially interested in two projects he will tackle in his new job: expanding the curricula for the part-time program's continuing education students, and distance learning (using telecommunications technology to teach students away from a classroom). Dr. Westgate also hopes to expand the Engineering School's international programs, and will soon meet with representatives from the United Kingdom to discuss new exchange programs. "So many firms now operating at an international level need engineers who feel comfortable in various cultures and languages," Dr. Westgate said. Despite the new chores, Dr. Westgate doesn't plan to relinquish his current course load. "These are courses that I love to teach, although I may have to cut back some next year." Nor will he abandon the six doctoral candidates he currently oversees, or give up his research projects in high-speed microwave circuitry. "It's important--even for academic administrators--to balance teaching with research, if they can," he explained. Dr. Westgate has received numerous commendations from engineering professional societies, and has often been lauded for his teaching. He twice has been named outstanding professor by the Hopkins chapter of Tau Beta Pi, and received the George Owen teaching award. "I'm equally as proud of my teaching awards as the number of Ph.D.'s I've produced," said Dr. Westgate. "But that's certainly not unique among Hopkins professors."