New university president takes the helm at Roger Williams

Champion of STEM education (and avid fisherman) Ioannis Miaoulis moves into the top office at RWU

By Christy Nadalin
Posted 8/22/19

Monday was just his first day on the job, but as he walked around campus, Ioannis Miaoulis, the 11th president of Roger Williams University, was greeted by returning faculty like an old friend. The …

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New university president takes the helm at Roger Williams

Champion of STEM education (and avid fisherman) Ioannis Miaoulis moves into the top office at RWU

Posted

Monday was just his first day on the job, but as he walked around campus, Ioannis Miaoulis, the 11th president of Roger Williams University, was greeted by returning faculty like an old friend. The Athens native, who has lived in the Boston area for most of his adult life, already feels at home, and for good reason.

“I love to fish,” he said. “I’ve been fishing on Narragansett Bay since I was 26 years old."

That first boat, a metal skiff, soon gave way to a Boston Whaler, which he still has and uses every chance he gets. In fact, his first view of Roger Williams University was from water, not land.

President Miaoulis came the the United States as a young adult to attend college. “I left on a TWA flight — remember TWA? My mother cried because she knew I wasn’t coming back,” he said.

“She replaced me with cats. Lots of cats.”

He holds a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering, a master of arts in economics and a bachelor of science in engineering from Tufts University, as well as master of science in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the State University of New York. In addition to fishing, his favorite pastimes include cooking and travel.

Boston Museum of Science

A visionary leader in experiential learning and champion of STEM education, President Miaoulis previously served as president and director of the Boston Museum of Science since 2003, introducing more than 1.5 million visitors a year to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. During his tenure, he raised the museum’s profile to an internationally acclaimed STEM education institution through fundraising efforts that raised a half-billion dollars.

“My goal was to introduce engineering into the lives of children, and we did that,” he said. “The Museum is now the top in the world for engineering education for children; 20 million students use educational materials produced by the museum.”

President Miaoulis came to the Museum of Science after spending 16 years at Tufts University, where he served as Dean of the College of Engineering, Associate Provost, Interim Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and a professor of mechanical engineering. Under his leadership at the College of Engineering, he worked closely with students and faculty to more than double its research initiatives, introduce new programs, form professional partnerships within the industry, and significantly increase the number of female students and faculty members. In 2001, he spearheaded an initiative to make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to bring engineering and technology curriculum into its K-12 public school system.

Though he was ready for a change of course after 16 years with the Museum of Science, he planned on taking some time — and some time off — before deciding on this next move. But that was not to be. “Search firms started calling right away,” he said. “RWU was one of the first. I always wanted to get back to university. I love teaching and mentoring.”

An undercover visitor

President Miaoulis’ second view of Roger Williams was incognito, touring the campus under the guise of being a prospective parent. In a happy coincidence, the student who led the tour was an engineering student who represented the university very well for his VIP guest. “He was very enthusiastic, and excited about the new building,” President Miaoulis said about the new engineering center being built in the center of campus.

And the fact that that the new president is a giant in engineering circles at the same time the engineering department is enjoying this massive infrastructure upgrade? “Serendipitous, but I am happy to take full credit,” laughed President Miaoulis.

He’s coming to campus in a very special year — the 50th anniversary of the founding of the university’s Bristol campus. “I did not realize this until it was mentioned by a longtime faculty member in one of the listening sessions,” he said, referring to meetings he had with faculty and staff before officially stepping in as president this week. “This is fantastic. It’s going to be a great year of celebration, launching a new master plan and celebrating 50 years. We will be planning lots of events that will be bringing the Bristol community to campus.”

The father of two daughters who are both engineers and Tufts graduates, President Miaoulis is residing in the Roger Williams president’s Ferry Road home with his partner, Heidi Maes, a native of Belgium. In 2018, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in Boston by Boston Magazine.

Though President Miaoulis likes many things about Roger Williams, its mission and programs, he does hope to work toward focusing the university’s vision, finding areas of excellence and investing more in these areas, particularly coastal sustainability and civic scholarship. “I would like to see that become a signature program, a requirement,” he said.

Joining the community effort

RWU does have a solid foundation in this area, with students partnering with community organizations, nonprofits and town agencies to put their knowledge to work solving real issues in the community. To date, 4,313 students have worked with 303 community partners and completed 368 projects. In Bristol, some of those projects have included improving water quality at town beach, the redevelopment of the historic armory into a Maritime Center, developing master planning of properties and connecting boardwalk along the harbor, and creating marketing plans for Mount Hope Farm.

“Roger Williams has the potential to be the university that the world needs now, with a great faculty, great location, students, great balance between professional schools and liberal arts, as well as the Providence campus and community engagement programs,” he said.

President Miaoulis will have a chance to put some of his own sweat equity into his vision next Monday, Aug. 26, during the university’s Community Connections Day. All day, the entire freshman class, 1,100 students plus volunteer student leaders, staff and faculty, will be doing a full day of community service at sites around the East Bay. President Miaoulis will be focusing his efforts in Bristol, joining students to clean up trash at Bristol Town Beach and weed the rain garden; and do some painting, pruning and mulching at Linden Place and at Mount Hope Farm. Students will also be volunteering at Coggehsall Farm and Franklin Court, cleaning up trash at Independence Park with Save The Bay, and working with the Bristol Conservation Commission at a location to be determined.

Hopefully, after all that hard work, he’ll be able to take a couple of well-deserved hours chasing bluefish around the bay.

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