Tucker to take vice provost position

MechSE Professor Charles L. Tucker III, currently the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the College of Engineering, has been chosen to be the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Innovation for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"Chuck will help set the strategic direction for the undergraduate student experience at Illinois," said Michael Bragg, interim dean of the College of Engineering. "He's already done that for the College of Engineering."

Tucker joined MechSE in 1978 as an assistant professor, and then was promoted to associate professor in 1984 and full professor in 1989. He has been the department’s Alexander Rankin Professor since 2003. From 2003 to 2008, he served as MechSE’s associate head for undergraduate programs. Tucker took his current position with the College in 2008.

"Having worked closely with Chuck for almost five years, I can say that he will be missed as a member of the College of Engineering's leadership team," Bragg said.

In his research, Tucker specializes in developing models and methods of mold filling for compression and liquid composite molding, which include being able to predict fiber orientation patters in injection-molded composite parts. He has consulted with Cerus Corporation in Concord, California; Husch & Eppenberger in Peoria, Illinois; and Kenyon & Kenyon in New York City, New York.

Tucker will join the Office of the Provost on February 1, 2013, pending approval of the Board of Trustees.