Dean Tejal Desai Steps Down as Brown Engineering Dean

A Brown Engineering Legacy Comes to a Close as Dean Tejal Desai Steps Down

For the students and faculty who have passed through its doors, the Lassonde Innovation and Design Hub at Brown University represents a transformative era. Brown University has announced that Tejal Desai, the dean of the School of Engineering, will be stepping down from her role.

The Architect of a New Engineering Vision

Desai’s tenure as dean has been defined by an ambitious, bricks-and-mortar approach to academic renewal. She spearheaded the project to reimagine the existing Prince Laboratory, transforming it into the Lassonde Innovation and Design Hub—a campus centerpiece for project-based learning and cutting-edge research. She also co-led the visioning for the William A. and Ami Kuan Danoff Life Sciences Laboratories, a soon-to-open state-of-the-art facility dedicated to research on cancer, brain science, immunity/infectious disease and aging, with a strong focus on integration with disciplines such as biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence and RNA technology.

Her influence extends beyond new buildings. Desai oversaw the launch of the Initiative for Sustainable Energy and the Center for Mechanics of Undersea Science and Engineering. In a move for the school’s digital future, she worked with Senior Associate Dean Kimani Toussaint to transition the Center for Digital Health into the School of Engineering and launch the Health Innovation Technology Sandbox, a space for prototyping and testing new digital health innovations. She also supported the creation of a new sustainable energy master’s degree, contributing to an overall increase in master’s student matriculation of 23% over the last two years.

Among her proudest achievements, Desai has often cited the establishment of the Lassonde Hub and the launch of a new undergraduate concentration in design engineering. This program, she explained, is the very essence of Brown engineering.

“The program epitomizes what Brown engineering is all about, which is combining technical rigor with the ability to think creatively and apply engineering principles to important societal problems,” Desai said. “That, coupled with a renewed commitment to providing hands-on and experiential learning opportunities for our students in this time of great technological change and the advent of AI, is the hallmark of the type of engineer that we’re trying to create.”

Her focus on creating a supportive, inclusive environment also yielded tangible results. During her leadership, the School of Engineering experienced a marked rise in undergraduate student retention, an outcome of initiatives designed to foster an inclusive atmosphere where students receive backing from faculty mentors and peer groups.

A Life of Building, From Nanotechnology to New Programs

Desai’s drive to “build things” is a constant thread running through her career. A Brown alumna with a bachelor’s degree from 1994, she returned to the university after a career that included leading the Therapeutic Microtechnology and Nanotechnology Laboratory at the University of California San Francisco. There, she helped create a new Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, serving as its chair from 2014 to 2021.

Desai uses micro- and nanoscale techniques to develop methods for targeting and delivering therapeutics to specific locations in the body. Since arriving at Brown, her laboratory has secured more than $4 million in research funding, and her work has been recognized with honors throughout her career. She was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2015, the National Academy of Engineering in 2024, and named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2026.

When asked about her departure, Desai framed it not as an end, but as a shift in focus. “I’ve valued my time doing that at Brown, and I look forward to doing more of that in this new opportunity,” she said.

What Comes Next for the School of Engineering?

The search for a new leader is already underway. Doyle said the University is outlining a process to identify the next leader of the School of Engineering. Doyle stated he is currently evaluating potential interim deans and anticipates making an appointment announcement in the near future. Doyle emphasized the position of Brown’s engineering school.

“Because of its collaborative approach to teaching and research that crosses traditional academic boundaries, Brown’s School of Engineering is uniquely positioned to address a wide array of complex technological challenges,” Doyle said. “We look forward to finding a new leader to continue this impactful work.”