Kenneth S. Ball, Ph.D., P.E. is Dean, Volgenau School of Engineering (VSE) at George Mason University (Virginia) since 2012. He oversees eight academic departments, six research centers, and numerous laboratories. VSE offers 10 different Bachelor’s degree programs, 17 Master’s degree programs, and seven Ph.D. degree programs. VSE employs approximately 200 full-time and 175 part-time faculty members, more than 300 staff members, and has over 7250 students. New programs proposed, developed, and approved under Ball’s leadership include Bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and cybersecurity engineering; Master’s degrees in data analytics engineering and biostatistics; and the Ph.D. in bioengineering. Total student enrollment in VSE has nearly doubled since 2012.
Ball previously served as the L.S. Randolph Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech from 2004-2012, and was Temple Foundation Endowed Faculty Fellow in Engineering and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin from 1989-2004. He earned degrees in mechanical engineering from Lehigh University (BSME, 1982) and Drexel University (MSME, 1984; Ph.D., 1987), and was a post-doctoral research associate in applied mathematics at Brown University. Ball is recognized internationally for his research in computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer. He has chaired three international conferences, is a past associate technical editor of the ASME Journal of Heat Transfer, and has served on several other engineering journal editorial boards. Ball has published more than 100 technical articles and has obtained funding in excess of $20M for research projects and program development in engineering, with applications in biomedical engineering, manufacturing and materials processing, and nuclear systems. He has served as a consultant to numerous organizations.
Ball is highly engaged in engineering program assessment and accreditation activities, both in the U.S. and internationally, particularly in the Middle East. He is an ABET Program Evaluator and a Commissioner on the Engineering Accreditation Commission, and has participated in numerous conferences and workshops related to engineering education and program accreditation. In 2012, he was awarded the Edwin F. Church Medal by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for “eminent service in increasing the value, importance, and attractiveness of mechanical engineering education.”
As dean, Ball represents Mason on the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Engineering Deans Council, serving on its Executive Board as well as the Public Policy Committee. He is involved in legislative initiatives and public policy issues at both the state and local levels. Ball has served on numerous advisory boards and is currently a member of the International Advisory Board of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and a member of more than eight other professional societies and organizations.