Posted on June 18, 2025 by Klesse College Staff
Yongcan Cao
Dr. Yongcan Cao, professor of Electrical Engineering will serve as the interim chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering beginning Sept. 1. He succeeds Dr. Chunjiang “CJ” Qian, who spent 10 years as chair of the Department.
“I was very fortunate to be mentored by our current chair, Dr. Qian,” Cao said.
“He is a role model for me for many aspects of my career, including teaching, research, and service. Especially service.”
Since 2021, Cao has served as the Department’s Assistant Chair of Research. In 2023, he was selected for the Next Generation Faculty Fellowship and worked with the vice president of research in the Office of Research to further his leadership skills.
“I was able to attend the leadership meetings, participate in the strategic planning for research for the next five years for the university,” Cao said. “I have also worked as the assistant department chair, assisting with research-related activities, which helped me understand the chair’s role in securing funding.”
He credits Qian with creating a supportive culture, recruiting a strong faculty, and attracting talented undergraduate, graduate and PhD students to the program, which he said is in fantastic shape.
“We are on a very positive trajectory with a lot of growth from students to research to faculty,” Cao said.
We’re addressing some of the unique challenges that we’re facing in society, and we will benefit from the solutions in the long run.
— Klesse College Staff
