Kirk Schulz Profile

Kirk H. Schulz, Ph.D.
The 13th president of Kansas State University

In February 2009, the Kansas Board of Regents selected Kirk H. Schulz as the 13th president of Kansas State University.

Schulz is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Most recently, he served as vice president for research and economic development at Mississippi State University.

Schulz began his career in 1991 as an assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. He moved in 1995 to Michigan Tech as an assistant professor of chemical engineering. He was promoted to associate professor in 1998 and was named chair of the department of chemical engineering at Michigan Tech the same year.

In 2001, he moved to Mississippi State University to become director of the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering and holder of the Earnest W. Deavenport Jr. endowed chair. In 2005, he was selected as dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering and the inaugural holder of the Earnest W. and Mary Ann Deavenport Jr. endowed chair. In 2007, he was named interim vice president for research and economic development and was named to the permanent position later that year.

Schulz was born in Portsmouth, Va., in 1963 and grew up in Norfolk,Va., where he attended Norfolk Christian High School. He attended Old Dominion University for three years and transferred to Virginia Tech in 1984. He graduated with B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering in 1986 and 1991, respectively. He completed his doctoral work in metal oxide surface chemistry under the direction of Dr. David Cox.

He is a member of ABET, the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering and technology. He is also a member of its Engineering Accreditation Commission. Schulz is an active member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and also the American Society for Engineering Education. In recognition of his work in chemical engineering, he was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007 and a Fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education in 2008.

Schulz is married to Noel Nunnally Schulz, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at K-State. They have two sons, Tim, who will be a freshman at Mississippi State University in fall 2009, and Andrew, who will be a freshman at Manhattan High School. Kirk Schulz’ parents are Carl and Judy Schulz, Norfolk, Va.

Kirk Schulz can be reached via phone, 785-532-6221 and via e-mail to kirks@k-state.edu.