Christian E.G. Przirembel, Ph.D.

Dr. Christian E.G. Przirembel became Vice President for Research at Clemson University on July 1, 2001. He has served at Rutgers University and Clemson University as a faculty member and an academic administrator. At Rutgers University, Dr. Przirembel taught undergraduate and graduate courses in mechanical and aerospace engineering, conducted research and advised graduate students. In 1978, he was named Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the College of Engineering.

In 1981, Dr. Przirembel was named Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson University. Major departmental highlights during his tenure included: seventeen outstanding new faculty members, four major research laboratories, a new engineering building (consolidating departmental activities from eight different buildings), seven-fold increase in research funding, seven-fold increase in graduate enrollment, Pi Tau Sigma Chapter, senior departmental honors program and substantial increase in national recognition of the Department.

From 1994 to 2001, Dr. Przirembel served as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Engineering and Science at Clemson University. His administrative responsibilities included: research promotion and administration (including pre-award certification), graduate education (both on-campus and off-campus), industrial liaison, federal and state government liaison, and fund raising. The College had approximately 200 faculty members with about 700 externally supported research projects. During the fiscal year 2000-2001, new awards totaled $48.2M and research expenditures totaled $32.6M. A major College highlight was the award of the National Science Foundation/Engineering Research Center in Advanced Engineering Fibers and Films.

Dr. Przirembel has represented Clemson University at both the state and national level. He served on Governor Beasley’s South Carolina Science and Technology Advisory Council, which prepared the report entitled, “Strategies for Developing a Knowledge-based Economy.” He was a member of Governor Hodges’ Steering Committee of the Technology Transition Team. He chaired the State EPSCoR Committee for six years. He was also a member of the Technical Advisory Board for the South Carolina Research Authority. Finally, he represented Clemson on the Council for the Oak Ridge Affiliated Universities (ORAU).

At the international level, Dr. Przirembel was involved in the development and implementation of faculty and student exchange programs with universities in three different countries. He has served as a reviewer for engineering programs at key universities in three other countries. From 1995 to 1997, he co-chaired the Advisory Board for the USAID-funded ASME/Russian Academy of Science Partnership for Leaders and Professionals in Russia. He was awarded the debut, “Five Year of International Engineering Academy Award.” The Award honored individuals who have made significant contributions in rebuilding Russia’s engineering profession. Others who received the award included Vice President Al Gore, Georgia President Eduard Shevarnadze, and Russian leader Victor Chernomyrdin.

Dr. Przirembel has held major national professional society positions, including membership on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). He was elected as a Fellow of these three professional societies, as well as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Dr. Przirembel’s teaching contributions to the engineering profession were recognized by being selected for the Ralph Coats Roe Award (1998) given by the Mechanical Engineering Division, American Society for Engineering Education. He was the first educator to receive the Rutgers University Engineering Alumni Society’s Distinguished Engineering Award (1995). At Clemson, he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, Golden Key and Blue Key.

Dr. Przirembel earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Rutgers University.