Megan Whitman to join ECE as Admin Director, Jed Dove retires

[In a message to the Cornell ECE community, Professor and Director Alyssa Apsel delivered the following announcment.]

I am thrilled to announce that Megan Whitman will join the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering as our Director of Administration on December 1, 2021. 
 
Megan began her career at Cornell as a science communicator and project manager for the Lab of Ornithology. While working there she earned an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management and transitioned to administration, first for the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, then for the College of Engineering. Since 2015 Megan has served as the director of administration for the School of Applied and Engineering Physics.

Megan told us she is excited by the new challenges presented by a program of ECE’s size and scope. She’s fascinated by our broad range of research investigating devices and processes essential to modern life, and she is eager to use her powers of planning and budgeting to grow ECE’s program in Ithaca and at Cornell Tech. Megan’s efforts are now focused on ensuring a smooth transition, and supporting the students, faculty, and staff of Cornell ECE as we move from a pandemic mindset into the new normal.

As Megan joins ECE, Jed Dove begins his retirement after leading our administrative operations for more than a decade. Jed’s time with Cornell began when he earned an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management, back when computers were just arriving on the desktop and a lot of his work was done using miles of perforated printer paper. He became the director of the Administrative Service Center in the College of Arts & Sciences, working on finance and budgets with a staff of three in a tiny office in McGraw Hall. In 2011 he joined the College of Engineering as the Director of Administration for ECE. 

Jed helped to build and grow our teaching and research capabilities, including major renovations to spaces in Phillips and Rhodes Halls and our groundbreaking expansion to Cornell Tech. His steady leadership and affable demeanor always gave us confidence we could accomplish our goals. In retirement, Jed will continue to indulge his love of the outdoors, whether on a fishing boat in the Florida Keys or on a snow machine in the Adirondacks.

Jed has been the solid foundation of ECE for more than ten years, and it’s hard to imagine ECE without him. While we all will miss him, we wish Jed well in his new adventures. On the bright side, I am excited to welcome Megan, who brings a great attitude and a fresh perspective to new challenges. Megan’s impressive background in research and administration will reinvigorate our efforts to deliver exceptional experiences to students, faculty, and staff.

During the month of December, Megan and Jed will work together to ensure the continuity of our ongoing projects until Jed’s service to Cornell officially comes to a close on January 3. Please join me in welcoming Megan to the ECE community and in congratulating Jed on his well-deserved retirement! 

Sincerely,
Alyssa Apsel
Director, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering