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Dr. Jinny Rhee joined the Beach as the Dean of Engineering in July 2021, bringing years of experience developing innovative student success and faculty development programs and forging strong relationships with industry leaders, alumni, and community partners.

The college’s recent achievements under her leadership include notable advances in research and fundraising, curriculum and student success, and community relations. In 2026. the college received a transformational $30M naming gift from alumnus Hing Hung (MS ‘85) and wife Doris. In honor of this historic gift, the college was renamed the Hung Family College of Engineering. Research is an emerging strength with over $9M in grants awarded in 2024-25, in combustion efficiency, stents and endovascular repair, multi-agent drones, and sustainable transportation, and many other areas. In Fall 2025, the college was awarded $2.27M from the US Department of Commerce to support the Beach Launch Pad renovation project – so named for the expansion of project-based learning that will launch our graduates into their careers. A new undergraduate Applied Data Science degree accepted its first entering class in Fall 2025, and a new minor in Heavy Civil Construction has been approved by the Academic Senate. The new Corporate Affiliates Program provides resources for project-based learning, and our growing 100+ Women Strong group supports women in the field, still our largest underrepresented group in engineering and computer science. In 2024, the college broke into the top 25 engineering programs in the nation without a standalone doctorate according to the US News and World Report, with multiple degree programs ranked in the top 20. 

Dr. Rhee comes to °µÍøÊÓƵfrom San Jose State University, where, as Associate Dean of the Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering, she led programs that raised graduation rates,  assisted with strategic planning, and administered the $1.8 million Silicon Valley Engineering Scholarship program. She was involved in over $9.2 million in philanthropy to the SJSU College of Engineering and its affiliated programs, engaging corporate, alumni, and community partners. She joined San Jose State as an Assistant Professor in 2002. 

Dr. Rhee received her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, all in mechanical engineering, from Stanford University. Her research interests include renewable energy, thermal management, and student success strategies, particularly for engineering and STEM majors. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles on engineering education, student success, and mechanical engineering.