Dr. Jeffrey D. Cawlfield

Dr. Jeffrey D. Cawlfield, professor of geological engineering and director of the Freshman Engineering Program at Missouri University of Science and Technology, will become vice provost for undergraduate studies at Missouri S&T effective June 15.

“Dr. Cawlfield brings a true passion for education to this new assignment and extensive experience mentoring our undergraduate students,” says Dr. Warren K. Wray, Missouri S&T’s provost. “I believe Jeff will excel as our next vice provost for undergraduate studies.”

A member of the Missouri S&T faculty since 1987, Cawlfield has served as director of the Freshman Engineering Program since 2006. The program provides a common set of courses for all first-year engineering students at S&T and introduces them to the broad range of engineering disciplines offered by the campus.

As vice provost of undergraduate studies, Cawlfield will lead campuswide efforts to help all undergraduates succeed. The office of undergraduate studies provides academic advising resources and services, undergraduate research programs, and other programs and services to undergraduate students.

Cawlfield succeeds Dr. Harvest Collier, who retired from the position and from Missouri S&T on Sept. 1, 2012. Since Collier’s departure, Dr. Larry Gragg, Curators’ Teaching Professor of history and political science, has served as interim.

Cawlfield holds a Ph.D. and a master of science degree in civil engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Washington State University. He joined Missouri S&T as an assistant professor of geological engineering in 1987, was named associate professor in 1993 and became a full professor in 1999.

Cawlfield served as head of the geological engineering program at Missouri S&T from 2000 to 2002. From 2001 to 2002, he served as associate dean of the university’s School of Mines and Metallurgy, and chair of the department of geological and petroleum engineering from 2003 to 2004. From 2004 to 2005, he served as associate chair of geological sciences and engineering. The following year, he served as interim chair of the department and assistant director of the Freshman Engineering Program.

Cawlfield also serves the campus as the faculty athletic representative to the NCAA Division II and Great Lakes Valley Conference, a position he has held since 2003.

At Missouri S&T, Cawlfield has received the Outstanding Teaching Award seven times and the Outstanding Teaching Award for Distance Education three times. He was a member of the inaugural class of the University of Missouri System’s Leadership Development Program in 2000 and received the Dow Outstanding Young Educator Award from the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Midwest Region, in 1992.

He is a member of ASEE, the Association of Engineering Geologists, the Association of Ground Water Scientists and Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Geophysical Union and Sigma Xi.

Cawlfield is chair of the Missouri State Dam and Reservoir Safety Council. He has served on that council since 1995. He also serves on the Missouri Department of Higher Education’s College and Career Readiness Task Force, the Missouri S&T Assessment Committee, the Campus Recruitment Committee and the Chancellor’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.