COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering Dr. G. Kemble Bennett has appointed Dr. Walter W. Buchanan head of the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution and inaugural holder of the J.R. Thompson Department Head Chair in Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University. Buchanan succeeds former department head Dr. Richard M. Alexander. "Dr. Richard Alexander has shaped one of the top programs in the nation, and being able to attract someone of Dr. Walter Buchanan’s stature and reputation is a true testament to his efforts," said Dr. G. Kemble Bennett, vice chancellor and dean of engineering. "We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Buchanan join Texas A&M Engineering." Buchanan comes to the Dwight Look College of Engineering from Northeastern University, where he was professor and director of the School of Engineering Technology. He was previously professor and dean of Engineering and Industrial Technologies at the Oregon Institute of Technology; associate professor and chair of Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies at Middle Tennessee State University; assistant professor and coordinator of the Electrical Engineering Technology Associate Degree Program at the University of Central Florida; and an assistant professor of electrical engineering technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He has also been an electronics engineer for the Naval Avionics Center; an engineering officer for the U.S. Navy; an aerospace engineer for Boeing Co. and Martin Co., as well as an attorney for the Veteran’s Administration in Indianapolis. A registered professional engineer in Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oregon and Tennessee, Buchanan is a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the Executive Committee of the Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the Order of the Engineer and the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame. Buchanan is also a member of the Indiana State Bar. Among his numerous honors are the ASEE James H. McGraw Award, the ASEE Frederick J. Berger Award, the International Conference on Engineering and Computer Education Award and the NSPE Outstanding Service Award. Buchanan has authored or co-authored 113 publications. He holds a bachelor’s degree, a J.D. and a Ph.D. from Indiana University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Purdue University.
