College of Engineering | Office of the Provost | June 11, 2021

Mechanical Engineering Professor Named Provost Faculty Fellow for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Office of the Provost is pleased to announce the selection of its 2021-2022 Provost Faculty Fellows. Four new Fellows will work alongside vice provosts and faculty colleagues in the areas of curriculum effectiveness and improvement; diversity, equity, and inclusion; community engaged scholarship; and communication for student success initiatives.

Provost Faculty Fellow positions are designed to lend faculty perspective to administrators while providing mentorship and administrative experience at the institutional level to faculty members seeking to explore leadership roles in higher education administration. “We are delighted to welcome a new cohort of Fellows and look forward to learning from their expertise. Every year, Fellows bring unique vision and energy, and we are grateful for their commitment to this work and to their colleagues,” said John Wiebe, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Calvin Stewart, Ph.D., associate professor of mechanical engineering, will work to define strategic actions to institutionalize DEI. Dr. Stewart joined The University of Texas at El Paso in 2013 with a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Central Florida. In addition to serving as PI and Co-PI on grants funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Air Force Research Lab, and Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies, Dr. Stewart recently formed the UTEP Black Affinity Group. The organization focuses on promoting the well-being and success of Black faculty, staff, and students, while advocating for full equity, recognition, inclusion, and emancipation of community members. Dr. Stewart is a well-known mentor to students at the College of Engineering, principally for his guidance with applying the S3 (student-scholar-scientist) Mindset, which involves internship, scholarship, and fellowship programs, and navigating graduate school.

“The College of Engineering is delighted that Dr. Stewart was chosen as a Provost Faculty Fellow”, said Patricia A. Nava. Ph.D., College of Engineering interim dean. “This assignment is a highly synergistic opportunity. Not only will the Provost’s Office gain a highly motivated, successful faculty member and leader, but Dr. Stewart will have an opportunity to exercise and enhance his leadership skills. We are proud of Dr. Stewart and his distinction of being selected as a Fellow.”