PROMOTION RECOMMENDATION
The University of Michigan-Dearborn
College of Engineering and Computer Science
DeLean Tolbert Smith, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering,
Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering, College of Engineering and
Computer Science, is recommended for promotion to associate professor of industrial and
manufacturing systems engineering, with tenure, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing
Systems Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Academic Degrees:
Ph.D. 2017 Engineering Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
M.S. 2011 Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, MI
B.S. 2010 Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI
Professional Record:
2017-present Assistant Professor, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering,
University of Michigan-Dearborn
2017 Research Fellow, Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering,
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Summary of Evaluation:
Teaching: Professor Smith is a dedicated and inspiring teacher, taking on mostly first-year
introductory courses. In a complete overhaul of ENGR 100, she introduced new teaching
practices and innovative curricular changes to the course, significantly improving its offerings.
Professor Smith is advising one student in their doctoral research, has advised and/or is advising
three students in their master’s thesis research, and five students in their undergraduate research
projects. She is a champion of her students in and out of the classroom.
Research: Professor Smith is an innovative and versatile community-engaged scholar whose
research primarily focuses on engineering education and engineering design. Since joining the
Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering department in 2017, Professor Smith
published three peer-reviewed journal papers, nine refereed conference papers (six with students,
including two with undergraduate students), and edited one book. She also generated three
products from community-engaged research for community partners and families. Furthermore,
she has been very successful in attracting external support for her research. She is a recipient of
a highly competitive National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development
(CAREER) Award.
Recent and Significant Publications:
Tolbert Smith, D., (Ed). The Handy Engineering Answer Book. Visible Ink Press; Canton, MI,
2022.
Approved by the Regents
May 18, 2023
Tolbert Smith, D., Jones, T., & Cardella, M. A. “Narrative Investigation of Black Familial
Capital that Supports Engineering Engagement of Middle-School-Aged Youth,” Journal
of Precollege Engineering Education Research, 2022.
Tolbert Smith, D. “They are here to support me”: Community Cultural Wealth Assets and
PreCollege Experiences of Undergraduate Black Men in Engineering,” Journal of
Engineering Education, 2022.
Tolbert, D. “Girls can do STEAM too-investigating the influence of a STEAM career awareness
workshop on Tanzanian and Zimbabwean secondary school girls’ perception of careers in
STEAM,” Global Journal of Engineering Education, 22(2), 2020.
Service: Professor Smith contributes to the university and broader community through service.
Previously, she was a member of the undergraduate Human-Centered Engineering Design
(HCED) Program Committee, currently serves on the Bachelor of Science in engineering in
HCED Program Committee, and chairs the departmental outreach committee. As a member of
the HCED Committee, she helped to design the curriculum during the development phase of the
program. At the college level, she serves on the Experiential Honors Committee, the Academic
Integrity Board, and the Grand Challenges Scholars’ Program Committee. At UM-Dearborn, she
served on the Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship, and Artistry (IDEA) Lab Committee, and
she was a member of the Search Advisory Committee for the vice provost of enrollment
management. She represented UM-Dearborn on the University of Michigan Presidential Search
Committee and she was the UM-Dearborn faculty representative at the UM Board of Regents
May 2022 meeting. Professor Smith is also active in professional societies. She served on NSF
review panels, and she was a member of the American Society for Engineering Education
Educational Research Methods Division's best paper selection committee. She also regularly
reviews papers for top-tier journals in her field.
External Reviewers:
Reviewer A: “It is my belief that she will continue to make a significant contribution to the
engineering education research body of knowledge through her work to examine how students
decide to pursue engineering, the knowledge required for success in engineering, to leverage
prerequisite knowledge in engineering setting, and institutions can impact students’ success in
engineering.”
Reviewer B: “I see great evidence of continued productivity and contributions in the casebook,
such as grants in preparation; a high success rate for proposals submitted; and a diversity of
collaborators, funding sources, journals, and dissemination modes. Honestly, I am very excited
to see where Dr. Smith takes her work after building up some new directions and mechanisms
for community-engaged research.”
Reviewer C: "I’ll start by reflecting on her research work. She is a CAREER awardee, which is
one of, if not the most prestigious awards an early career scholar can receive. This puts her in the
upper echelon of engineering education researchers in her peer group. She has been active in
seeking funding to support her research interests. I think her new research directions will
facilitate greater opportunities to obtain funding and recognize she is already engaged in planned
future proposals."
Reviewer D: “Dr. Smith is a driven scholar, an intentional educator, and active member of the
communities with which she affiliates. Given her past trajectory and current interests, advancing
in her academic career would give her the platform for greater impact. Moreover, Dr. Smith’s
dedication to being a community-engaged researcher will not only transform the community she
cherishes, but also bring visibility and notoriety to UM-D. It is with these thoughts in mind that I
can—without reservation—offer my full support of Dr. Smith’s case for promotion with tenure.”
Reviewer E: “Dr. Smith’s community engaged outreach bridges her research and teaching in
exceptional ways. Genuine and deep community engagement is extraordinarily time consuming.
Anyone can ‘parachute’ into a community, freeze a banana in liquid nitrogen in a vain attempt to
get kids interested in STEM, and then abandon the community, leaving no lasting impact. The
ways in which Dr. Smith is studying and ‘doing’ community engagement serve as a model for
others in the field. She is deeply engaging with communities that are particularly important to
UM-Dearborn and the nation to address educational inequities, and aligning her research and
teaching activities with UM-Dearborn’s values.”
Reviewer F: “Reflecting on Dr. Tolbert-Smith’s CV, personal statement, and publications, I am
happy to support her tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. Her quantity of publications
and presentations, continuing research, and quality of her work, content focus and
methodological breadth point to a strong trajectory and continued contributions to the field of
engineering education and related disciplines.”
Summary of Recommendation: Professor Smith is a productive scholar who has made
significant and impactful contributions to the field of engineering education. She is an excellent
teacher and mentor; and she is a community leader who contributes both in external and internal
service. It is with the support of the College of Engineering and Computer Science Executive
Committee that I recommend DeLean Tolbert Smith for promotion to associate professor of
industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, with tenure, Department of Industrial and
Manufacturing Systems Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science.
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Ghassan Kridli, Dean Domenico Grasso, Chancellor
College of Engineering and Computer Science University of Michigan-Dearborn
May 2023
