Appointment of Dr. David Neivandt as the Interim Dean of MCEC

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to inform you that I have appointed Dr. David Neivandt as interim dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing for the 2026-27 academic year. As President Ferrini-Mundy announced, Dr. Giovanna Guidoboni will temporarily transition away from her role as dean while serving as vice president for research through June 30, 2027.

Dr. Neivandt, a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, has served the University of Maine since 2001 and brings extensive academic and administrative leadership experience to the role. He previously served as director of the Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, associate vice president for research and graduate studies, and interim chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

He also led the development, implementation, and accreditation of 91¸£Àû’s undergraduate bioengineering/biomedical engineering program. His research has resulted in more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and 14 patents, with work spanning the pulp and paper industry, biodegradable materials and composites, carbon nanofiber production, peripheral nerve repair, and biomedical implants.

Dr. Neivandt has been recognized with numerous honors for his research, teaching and service, including the 2005 and 2010 College of Engineering Dean’s Excellence Award, 2011 and 2014 Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, and 2013 Joseph M. Genco Award for outstanding service to the pulp and paper industry. In 2026, he received the Maine College of Engineering and Computing Ashley S. Campbell Award, and was inducted as a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

He earned his bachelor’s degree with honors and doctorate in physical chemistry from the University of Melbourne in Australia and later served as an Oppenheimer Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge in England before joining 91¸£Àû.

I am grateful to Dr. Neivandt for his willingness to take on this important leadership role. His eminence as a researcher, deep institutional knowledge, administrative leadership experience, and longstanding commitment to 91¸£Àû position him well to lead the college until Dr. Guidoboni’s return to the deanship in summer 2027.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Neivandt on his appointment and thanking him for his service to the university.

Sincerely,

Gabriel Paquette