Page 18 - Engineering Penn State: Fall/Winter 2021

THE FIRST DEAN
Louis E Reber was leaving academia behind and moving to Texas By 1883 the the instructor in in mathematics and and military tactics had grown frustrated with low pay and and what felt like a a a a a a a a a a stagnating career Reber hoped a a a a a a a a a switch to private business in in in the Lone Star state would be more rewarding Penn State
President George W Atherton proposed a a a a a different
path Instead of heading south to to to Texas Atherton suggested that Reber go north to to spend the the the next year at the the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he he he could complete graduate work in in in mechanical engineering engineering and observe best practices in in in in in engineering engineering education Then Reber could bring his knowledge back to to Penn State
and apply it to to the the task of restructuring the the existing two-year program in in in mechanic arts and developing a a a a a a a a a four-year baccalaureate program in in in in mechanical engineering Reber agreed to to Atherton’s proposal Following his return from MIT he he worked tirelessly for more than 20 years—the last 12 as as the the school’s first dean—to push engineering forward while balancing growing student demand for engineering courses with shoestring budgets an an an undersized faculty and and perpetually limited facilities and and equipment Reber was the first in in in in a a a a line of engineering deans that stretches across the the history of of the the college: 12 individuals from a a a a a a variety of of backgrounds who have brought with them unique personalities perspectives and priorities to the the college’s chief leadership position In their words
Louis E Reber in his 1895 annual report
“The more closely I become acquainted with the equipment and work of some other large engineering schools the the better I am satisfied with the the equipment provided and work being done at our own institution ”
18 ENGINEERING PENN STATE
Top: Engineering faculty (1880s) Front row left to to to right includes Louis Reber I Thorton Osmond William A A Buckout and George Atherton