August 25, 2026
On August 25, 2026, Dean Nancy Allbritton shared the following announcement with the College of Engineering community:
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Faisal Hossain, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, as Assistant Dean for Professional and Executive Programs. This is a two-year term effective October 1, 2026, subject to the approval of the Provost.
Faisal Hossain
Faisal's appointment reflects his outstanding record of research, education, and public engagement. His scholarship focuses on hydrologic remote sensing, sustainable water resources engineering, transboundary water management, and engineering education, driven by a mission to make access to water information a fundamental right for all. He has published extensively and secured research funding from NASA, NSF, the State Department, DoD, and private industry. He has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, a Fellow of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and a recipient of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) International Award, NASA Early Adopter Award, the ASCE Walter L. Huber Award, and a Fulbright Faculty Award, among many other honors. He is the inaugural recipient of the UW Excellence in Global Engagement Award and recently authored a textbook, Satellite Remote Sensing for Water Management. Beyond his scholarly record, Faisal has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to science communication and public outreach through documentary filmmaking, illustrated children’s books, student film contests, launching a science school bus, and numerous international engagements.
The Assistant Dean for Professional and Executive Programs is a new faculty leadership position charged with building a cohesive, financially sustainable portfolio of professional master's programs, executive and continuing education, certificates, and custom industry programs, in close partnership with our units, UW Continuum College, the Foster School of Business, and external collaborators. I am confident that Faisal will bring both vision and energy to this work. Throughout the search process, his commitment to expanding professional and executive offerings across the College came through clearly, as did his understanding of how industry partnerships and market-driven program development can position the College as a national leader in lifelong learning and workforce development.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the thoughtful guidance of the search committee: Payman Arabshahi, Charlotte Goddard, Jennifer Tsai, and Navid Zobeiry. I also want to thank those who participated and shared valuable feedback during the search process.
Please join me in congratulating Faisal on his appointment.