Ann F. McKenna is Dean of the College of Engineering and Roy J. Carver Professor of Engineering at the University of Iowa. Prior to joining the University of Iowa in 2023, Dr. McKenna was Vice Dean of Strategic Advancement in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University (ASU). Prior to joining ASU, she served as a program director at the National Science Foundation in the Division of Undergraduate Education and was the director of education improvement in the McCormick school of engineering at Northwestern University.

McKenna’s research focuses on entrepreneurial thinking in the context of engineering faculty mentorship and curricular innovations, adaptive expertise in design, and inclusivity in higher education engineering structures, culture and policies. In 2019 she was named an American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Fellow for demonstrating outstanding contributions to engineering education and has twice received the ASEE best overall paper award. McKenna received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Drexel University and doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley. As it relates to mental health, well-being, and creating a productive organizational culture, McKenna is a yoga practitioner and commits to finding ways to express joy and gratitude on a daily basis.