Yehia Massoud is the Dean of the School of Systems and Enterprises (SSE) at Stevens Institute of technology. Ranked amongst the top graduate programs in systems, SSE is dedicated to educating thought and technical leaders who will impact global challenges in research and development, policy and strategy, and entrepreneurial innovation in academia, business and government. It is an honor to lead SSE, one of the first schools in the world dedicated to systems science and engineering. By building on our strengths as a world leader in systems science and engineering, and leveraging strong interdisciplinary collaborations, our school will play a transformative role in facilitating efficient solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our society. Our objective as a school is to educate thought and technical leaders who will impact global challenges in research and development, policy and strategy, and entrepreneurial innovation in academia, business and government. Through our tireless quest to provide world-class systems education and groundbreaking research, I am confident we will greatly build upon this reputation and rise to prominence. SSE has seen a record 100% increase in research awards to $15.2 Million, and has increased peer-reviewed publications by 58%. The school has also seen a significant increase in student enrollmen.
The School of Systems and Enterprises (SSE) offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that balance education and research to extend human intelligence to some of the world’s biggest challenges. SSE academic programs cover critical areas such as software engineering, systems analytics, industrial and systems engineering, human factors, engineering management and entrepreneurship. The SSE learning experience instills in students newfound leadership skills and technical acumen, enabling them to effect transformative change. SSE programs offer a unique advantage, providing a world-class, practice-based and research-supported education that translates immediately into expertise that students can take to the workplace. SSE is home to the Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC), a University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) of the U.S. Department of Defense. Led by Stevens Institute of Technology, the SERC is a national resource providing a critical mass of systems engineering researchers. The center leverages the research and expertise of senior lead researchers from 22 collaborator universities throughout the United States. The SERC is unprecedented in the depth and breadth of its reach, leadership and citizenship in systems engineering through its conduct of vitally important research and the education of future systems engineering leaders.
Values Critical to Being a Leader 
- Do Listen: Everyone has something to offer. You will do well by listening and learning from others.
- Be Inclusive: Have an inclusive and diverse team, and share the governance. It is the way to lead.
- Hire Well: Hire the best and the most talented, who think like a team and work as a team.
- Be Bold: The biggest risk in life is not taking risks. Remember, change is the only constant.
- Be Adaptive: Make sure you and your team are as dynamic and adaptable as possible.
- Be Humble: Nothing ever truly lasts. We are just passing by, so be humble and gracious.
- Do Good: You achieve true happiness when you help others achieve it.
Interdisciplinary Research and Education
I believe that for a school to position itself at the forefront of solving the world’s most pressing challenges forging our future, it needs to strengthen itself by building a web of interdisciplinary contributions among its disciplines and with partners in academia and industry to achieve far-reaching solutions. We should collectively collaborate to design advanced graduate programs with complementary strengths in strategic, high-impact interdisciplinary areas. Forming successful graduate programs will enable schools to become more effective when seeking funding from various funding agencies and from the industry, as well as from philanthropic donors and foundations. It is of the utmost importance to work together to develop comprehensive mentoring strategies of faculty and organize workshops to aid junior faculty with the process of not only kick-starting their academic careers, but also becoming excellent researchers and educators. Promoting a strong interdisciplinary research and education culture along with a strong emphasis on diversity will position schools as major leading forces in higher education.
Quality of Education
I believe that well-prepared graduates are the best ambassadors for any university, and that their successes in their careers will speak volumes for the university’s high quality of education. Therefore, it is of great importance to develop students that are well prepared to become future leaders in technology and society. A distinguished school must have evolving graduate and undergraduate curricula that are malleable to emerging new innovations and equip their students with the necessary knowledge and experience in state-of-the-art technologies. Integrating core foundational areas with new technologies and innovations in coherent curricula will help prepare students to handle new problems and applications that will arise in the future. It is crucial to offer strong courses that provide students with the necessary tools to solve complicated and interdisciplinary problems and challenges. Continually improving the curricula will allow any school to further distinguish itself as a provider of quality education that produces able graduates who are ready to contribute and lead in the society of tomorrow.