Honors College Associate Dean Carol Gattis to Retire

Stephen Ironside

Carol Gattis

Carol Gattis, associate dean of the Honors College, will retire on June 30, following 26 years of service to the University of Arkansas. Gattis has played key roles in establishing the honors program in the College of Engineering; expanding diversity across campus; and boosting participation in study abroad. Gattis has also established a national reputation as a promoter of STEM education in public schools.

"Carol Gattis has worked throughout her career to open up opportunities for others," said Honors College Dean Lynda Coon. "She has been a strong supporter of diversity among students, faculty and staff, and has made study abroad dreams a reality for students who have never before boarded a plane. She has provided stellar leadership in both the College of Engineering and the Honors College, and will be greatly missed."

Gattis earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Arkansas. She joined the faculty in 1990 as a visiting instructor in computer systems engineering and then joined the faculty of the industrial engineering department, advancing over time to key roles in the College of Engineering. Under her leadership, the college's honors program grew from 26 students at its founding in 2003 to 476 in 2009, when she took her current position in the Honors College. She also led undergraduate recruitment at the College of Engineering, increasing new student enrollment by 30 percent.

"The College of Engineering is forever indebted to Dr. Gattis for all she has done," said John English, dean of the College of Engineering. "She was instrumental in the growth in size and prominence of our industrial engineering department. Following her success in industrial engineering, she laid the foundation for the transformational shift in enrollment and diversity gains for the college."

Gattis' academic research focuses on recruiting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with an emphasis on expanding diversity in these areas. She worked with engineering faculty and staff to develop the Engineering Career Awareness Program, an award-winning scholarship and mentoring program designed to increase diversity in the field of engineering. Gattis and two other U of A faculty members also developed a series of programs for middle school math and science teachers that emphasize hands-on learning and critical thinking. Since 2006 the Arkansas Department of Education has awarded $4 million in grants to support these programs, which have impacted more than 250 teachers and 67,000 school children in Arkansas.  

During her tenure at the Honors College Carol Gattis launched new initiatives in study abroad and service learning and created new grants to support honors students and faculty, including airfare grants, international research grants, and faculty equipment and technology grants. Gattis also led the charge to create online, paperless applications for fellowships and grants and sought out every opportunity to foster efficiency and cooperation between the Honors College and the six honors programs across campus.

Gattis has also been a tireless advocate for the Honors College staff, helping them expand their skill sets and flourish professionally.

As an emeritus associate dean Gattis will continue to consult on various projects for the Honors College, the College of Engineering and the Law School. Jennie Popp, professor of agricultural economics and agricultural business and co-director of the University of Arkansas Service Learning Initiative, will serve as interim associate dean of the Honors College beginning July 1.