Feature Story: George P. Korfiatis named Provost and University VP

In December, Dr. George P. Korfiatis was appointed Provost and University Vice President of Stevens. The responsibilities of this new office include academic strategy for all educational and research programs, all revenues and expenditures related to academics, oversight for alignment of the Institute’s revenues and expenses with priorities, nurturing the continuous growth of sponsored research, advancing the development of the research thrust areas, and promoting the growth and success of the research centers.

“Stevens is a growing, constantly advancing technological university,” said Stevens President Harold J. Raveche. “Increased interdisciplinary collaboration in engineering, science and technology management, as well as enhanced multidisciplinary research centers to meet significant global needs, are priorities of the Institute. Such dynamism in education, research and technology development requires nurturing at the highest administrative levels – and sound management for continuous growth and accomplishment.

“I can think of no better proponent of Stevens’ vision to provide this leadership than Dean George P. Korfiatis. He is an original architect of the Stevens environment for integrating education and research with external partnerships, known as Technogenesis®. As a professor, research center director, dean and entrepreneur, he has exemplified the concept of creativeinventiveness that the Stevens family helped to enshrine in our American culture when they founded the Institute.

“As Stevens continues to meet the challenges of an interdependent world, Provost and University Vice President Korfiatis will be responsible for ensuring the sustained ascent of the Institute’s academics and its high level of global academic engagement.”

Korfiatis has served since 2002 as Dean of Stevens’ Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering. He served previously as the Founding Director of the Stevens Center for Environmental Systems, as well as holding the title of McLean Chair Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering.

Korfiatis has been responsible for the execution and management of more than 200 major research projects, valued at more than $30 million, and has served as a consultant and advisor to numerous private and government organizations. He has authored more than 110 articles in professional journals, conference proceedings, handbooks and several research reports.

In addition to his academic duties, Korfiatis has worked actively in the field of technology commercialization, in the context of Stevens’ Technogenesis environment, in which students, faculty and partners in industry nurture new technologies from discovery to marketplace implementation. He has co-authored seven environmental technology US patents and has served on numerous environmental committees and task forces for professional organizations, industry and government. He is a co-founder of two technology commercialization companies, PlasmaSol Corporation and HydroGlobe, both of which have been acquired by global industrial groups.

Korfiatis has also performed environmental remediation research funded by NASA, the National Science Foundation, the US Army, and other government and military research agencies. Under his leadership the Schaefer School of Engineering has become a world-renowned center for research and development in maritime systems, marine security, complex systems and nano-engineering.

A native of Greece, Korfiatis holds a Doctorate in Water Resources/Environmental Engineering from Rutgers University (1984). He also earned at Rutgers a Master’s degree in Water Resources Engineering (1980), as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering (1978). – PB