Ed Pohl Named Next Dean of UA Grad School and International Education

Ed Pohl, who has been named dean of the University of Arkansas Graduate School and International Education  

The University of Arkansas announced that Ed Pohl has been named dean of the graduate school and international education, effective June 1.

He follows Patricia Koski in the role. She retirement at the end of 2021 after 37 years with the university. Curt Rom has been serving as interim dean.

Pohl joined the university in 2004 as an associate professor of industrial engineering. From 2007 to 2014, he was the director of the operations management master’s degree program, one of the largest graduate programs at the University of Arkansas. In 2010, he also became the director of the master’s of science in engineering program, and he continues to serve in this role.

He served as the director of the Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics from 2013 to 2017, and he was promoted to full professor in 2013. He has served as the head of the department of industrial engineering since 2014 and holds the 21st Century Professorship in Engineering.

“His own personal commitment to graduate education and his extensive experience overseeing graduate degree programs and research excellence in the College of Engineering make him well suited for his new role,” Terry Martin, university provost, said in a news release.

As a scholar, Pohl has conducted research in risk, reliability, engineering optimization, healthcare logistics, and supply chain risk analysis, decision making, and quality. He has contributed to 83 refereed journals, 17 book chapters, 87 conference papers, and more than 200 conference presentations.

Prior to joining the university, Pohl spent 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, where he retired as a lieutenant colonel. 

He earned his Ph.D. in systems and industrial engineering from the University of Arizona. He holds a master’s in systems engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, a master’s in reliability engineering from the University of Arizona, a master’s in engineering management from the University of Dayton and a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Boston University.

“I’m honored to be named dean of the Graduate School and International Education, and I’m grateful for this opportunity,” Pohl said in the release. “My vision for GSIE is to be globally recognized for our innovative and transformative programs and to produce scholars who are diverse, creative thinkers, problem solvers, and leaders who positively impact our state, nation and world.”