The Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing recently announced that Professor and Department of Chemical Engineering Chair Melissa Moss has been appointed as the new senior associate dean for academic affairs. She began her new position on January 1, 2025 and will remain chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering until February 1. 

In her new role, Moss will direct undergraduate recruitment, retention and graduation activities. She will also provide oversight for academic programs at all levels of the college and manage academic resources and assessment services.

"I am excited to serve the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing in this new role, where I will have the opportunity to couple my passion for the education, motivation and development of student success with my leadership experience," Moss says.

Moss joined the college’s Department of Chemical Engineering in 2004. Her prior administrative experience includes serving as department chair since 2019. She was also director of the biomedical engineering program from 2014 to 2021. 

Moss has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing Joseph M. Biedenbach Service Award, the Samuel Litman Distinguished Professor Award, the Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award, and the Gibbons Distinguished Teaching Award. Moss also received the 2012 Governor’s Young Scientist Award and was named a 2010 Rising Star by the University of South Carolina.

Moss’s research focuses on the identification of early Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers and the development of novel therapeutics. She has mentored 71 undergraduate researchers, three master’s graduates, 15 doctoral graduates, and four current doctoral candidates, as well as two prior and one current postdoctoral researcher. 

Moss earned her bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Kentucky and completed postdoctoral training in biochemistry and neuroscience at the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. 

“Professor Moss brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished record of service and scholarship to this role,” says Dean Hossein Haj-Hariri. “Over her two decades as a thought leader in our college, she has demonstrated exceptional dedication to our students through her extensive mentoring of undergraduates. Her leadership has guided numerous Magellan and Goldwater recipients, and she has successfully managed National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research Initiatives. We are excited to see her bring this same level of commitment and excellence to her new role, where she will undoubtedly continue to inspire and support our academic community.”