Brey named dean of Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design

A professor of biomedical engineering and chemical engineering, Brey joined UTSA in 2017 as professor and department chair after 13 years at the Illinois Institute of Technology. As department chair he oversaw a time of unprecedented growth in faculty, research expenditures and new programs. In addition to his teaching and administrative roles, Brey is co-director of the UTSA Institute for Regenerative Medicine and directs research focused on the fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and biomaterials. He holds the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. Endowed Chair in Mechanics.

Brey is recognized internationally for his innovative research approach to engineering vascularized tissues, and for developing novel imaging methods to analyze and monitor engineered tissues. His research has culminated in more than 150 publications and over 7,600 citations, and he has received more than $25 million in grant funding to support his research from organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Defense and the San Antonio Medical Foundation.

Brey is also dedicated to engineering education, especially how undergraduate research and disciplinary cultures impact a student's career trajectory. He has contributed to innovative training programs, including in his current role as associate program director for the Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD), a three-year research professional development program backed by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences that guides PhD students as they adjust to doctoral training and advance in their scientific careers.

He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rice University, B.S. and M.Eng in Chemical Engineering from the University of Louisville and was a NIH post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center.

"I am honored and excited about the opportunity to lead the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design into its next chapter of growth and innovation," Brey said. "Klesse College is an incredible environment with exceptional students, faculty and staff. I look forward to collaborating on the development and implementation of a vision focused on being a role model of an urban-serving college with excellence in research, distinctive educational programs, collaboration across disciplines, and service to the community."