Illinois State University College of Engineering has announced Dr. Matthew Aldeman as its founding associate dean of engineering, effective June 1, 2024.
“We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Matthew Aldeman, a distinguished scholar with more than $3 million in research funding and an extensive publication and conference presentation record,” said Dean of the College of Engineering Thomas Keyser. “Matt has a commitment to student success and expertise to model our engineering programs forward in a collegial, inclusive, and collaborative environment. We look forward to having him join the College of Engineering in June.”
Aldeman currently serves as an associate professor in the ISU Department of Technology, where he teaches in the Engineering Technology and Sustainable & Renewable Energy undergraduate programs. He is the principal investigator of Illinois State’s SUPERCHARGE project with Chicago area high schools and has considerable expertise in equitable STEM education and renewable energy. He has served as program director for the Sustainable and Renewable Energy program since 2020 and has served on university and departmental committees, including Academic Senate, the Engineering Program Development Committee, Engineering Program Building/Architecture Committees, DFSC, and DCC. Prior to joining faculty, he worked as senior energy analyst at the ISU Center for Renewable Energy, where he led the implementation of the Illinois Renewable Energy for Schools, Wind for Schools, and Solar for Schools programs. During a sabbatical in 2022, Aldeman also worked as a visiting faculty researcher at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Ill.
Aldeman is a U.S. Navy veteran, having served as reactor electrical division officer on the USS John C. Stennis, and as gunnery officer and legal officer on the USS O’Bannon. He completed several deployments, including to the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.
“I am thrilled to join the team in the new College of Engineering, where we will prepare students for rewarding careers in mechanical, electrical, and general engineering,” Aldeman said. “Engineering is an applied science, with an emphasis on solving societal problems and improving quality of life. ISU engineering graduates will be prepared to make contributions to important fields like renewable energy, clean water, sustainable transportation and infrastructure, and artificial intelligence.”
“I also am excited to work toward increasing the diversity of the engineering workforce by helping the College recruit and graduate a diverse group of engineering students,” Aldeman added. “My ultimate goal is for the diversity of the undergraduate student population in the College to match the diversity of the overall student population in Illinois.”
Aldeman holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University, a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University, and a doctorate in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. During his time serving in the military, he also graduated from the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion program and qualified as a nuclear engineering officer.
For more information, visit College of Engineering.
