ADVANCE Distinguished Speaker Series
Exploring equity and leadership in academic careers
Confluences in Life and Research
Jeanne M. van Briesen, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, D. WRE, F. ASCE, F. EWRI, F. AEESP, F, AAAS
Dean, College of Engineering and Information Technology
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Leadership in academia is shaped by the people who walk with us, modeling integrity, offering guidance, and helping us see possibilities. Dr. van Briesen’s career has been marked by such relationships: early teachers who nurtured confidence, senior mentors who offered pivotal advice at moments of uncertainty, and peers whose “random acts of mentoring” arrived exactly when needed. Her work across natural, engineered, and data systems in the water environment has shown that complex challenges rarely stay within disciplinary boundaries, and the deeper lesson throughout her career has been that meaningful progress emerges at moments of confluence, when choices, opportunities, ideas, and relationships come together.
Dr. van Briesen will share her approach to mentoring, grounded in the belief that people thrive when they are genuinely seen, supported, and challenged in ways that align with their personal goals. Drawing on decades of mentoring students, colleagues, and emerging leaders, she reflects on what effective mentors do: listen well, observe carefully, challenge constructively, and create environments where individuals can grow and succeed.