About the Dean

Ayşe Şahin, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has been appointed dean of the Wright State University College of Science and Mathematics, effective June 15.

Since 2020, the college has been led by interim Dean Kathrin Engisch, Ph.D.

Şahin joined Wright State in 2015 when she was appointed chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

“The work I have completed during my seven years as chair has prepared me to take on this new leadership role,” she said. “The initiatives I oversaw are aligned with the priorities of the institution: recruitment, retention, and relationships.”

Şahin said her leadership of the department’s efforts to design its developmental mathematics program is an example of the kind of metrics-based academic program development needed to help the college grow in the next five years. The project provided her with vital opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders from across the university, including Enrollment Management, the Division of Student Success, the Registrar’s Office, Institutional Research and Effectiveness and CaTS.

In addition, Şahin said she has focused on working with other departments by improving channels of communication with units across campus, building trust and reestablishing opportunities for faculty development that drives student success.

She has also led curricular and programmatic reforms to increase the visibility of opportunities, including career opportunities, for students.

As dean, she said she will continue to protect faculty members’ research opportunities, work individually with faculty to understand their research needs and allocate resources and service responsibilities appropriately. As a research mathematician working in the areas of ergodic theory and dynamical systems, Şahin has successfully balanced the responsibilities of chairing her department while maintaining an active and successful research program.

“I am committed to supporting research as a vital component of the college’s mission,” she said. “Our research enhances the education we provide our students and is an important contribution to our community.”

Şahin said she believes strongly in the mission of the university and the College of Science and Mathematics and deeply values the impact Wright State has on students’ lives.

“The future will require us to have keen vision and realistic planning to tackle our current challenges and embrace future opportunities,” she said. “I am prepared to lead the college to find and implement that vision.”

Prior to joining Wright State, Şahin served as professor and associate professor of mathematics at DePaul University. During her tenure at DePaul, she was appointed by the provost to serve on the university’s Academic Leadership Development Team and was co-director of the Master of Science in Middle School Mathematics Education program.

Previously, she served as associate professor and assistant professor of mathematics at North Dakota State University.

Şahin received her Ph.D. in mathematics and her master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Maryland and her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mount Holyoke College.