Two MAE alums appointed to university leadership positions

By Elizabeth Egan 

Jack Dennerlein (BS’ 86) was appointed as the dean of Boston University’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in the summer of 2023.

A mechanical engineer by training, Dennerlein has become an expert in improving workplace safety and best practices for employee health. His research has informed the design of workplace ergonomics and improved safety for construction, healthcare and transportation workers.

Before coming to Boston University, Dennerlein was a professor of physical therapy, movement and rehabilitation sciences at Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Prior to that position, he spent 13 years as a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he led the Occupational Injury Prevention Training Program.

Dennerlein is a fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, a member of the International Communication of Occupational Health, and a founding member of the Society for Total Worker Health. He has published numerous books and journal articles on safety and ergonomics and is on the editorial boards of top field publications.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at UB, Dennerlein went on to earn his master’s degree and PhD in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley, respectively. After earning his PhD, he went on to complete his postdoctoral training at Harvard University. 

Donald Leo (Phd’95, MS’92) has been appointed as Ohio University’s executive vice president and provost. Before joining Ohio University, Leo served as the first dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia. His career as a professor of mechanical engineering has spanned over 25 years. During his time at the University of Georgia, Leo grew enrollment to over 2,700 students, increased research activity and helped to develop numerous partnerships and outreach activities to enhance community engagement.

Before the University of Georgia, he served as the associate dean of research and professor of mechanical engineering at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University’s College of Engineering. He was also the vice president and executive director of the National Capita Region operations at Virginia Tech.

In conjunction with the university, he also served as a program manager for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a unit of the Department of Defense. He created programs and managed a portfolio of $50 million in interdisciplinary research. Leo’s research interests focus on smart materials. He has served as the principal investigator on over 50 research grants and contracts with around $12 million in external funding.

Leo also served on the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering’s advisory board at UB.

Leo earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his master’s degree and PhD from UB in mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering, respectively.