Meet the Administrators: Q&A with Chancellor Henry T. Yang

Q. As chancellor, what are your specific responsibilities at UCSB?

A. My obvious responsibilities are to provide service and leadership for our campus to fulfill our mission of teaching, research, and public service, as well as to achieve our twin goals of excellence and diversity. After all, we must continuously improve the stature and reputation of our proud campus. Specifically, my responsibilities cover a wide range of activities. These range from some seemingly small and down-to-earth activities to some official and formal responsibilities. For example, from greeting students on Del Playa on Saturday nights to meeting with legislators in Sacramento to visiting funding agencies in Washington D.C.; from chatting with students at the dining commons to teaching undergraduate classes to traveling around the state recruiting freshmen; from cheering for our athletic teams to riding the bus with the band to fundraising for athletics; from picking up litter on campus to planning for building projects to raising money and making the case to the Regents for those projects. The list goes on. It is my responsibility to serve our campus and to be accountable. My wife, Dilling, and I feel it is a joy, an honor, and a privilege to serve our campus.

Q. How do your administrative responsibilities affect undergraduates?

A. Students, both graduate and undergraduate, are the reason we are all here at UC Santa Barbara. All my administrative responsibilities, as I mentioned above, must provide our students with the best learning, research, and living environments and experiences. We must provide our undergraduates with a second-to-none quality education, so that they are equipped with the skills to learn by themselves for the rest of their lives and to serve society as well as to enjoy brilliant careers and lives.

Q. Can you tell us about your own undergraduate experience?

A. I was an undergraduate student at National Taiwan University, and a Ph.D. student at Cornell University. I have been an engineer, specifically an aeronautical engineer, during my entire career. I was lucky to have had many distinguished professors and peers who have influenced my career.

Q. Can you describe your research?

A. In academia, in order to stay at the forefront of research, our focus must be constantly evolving and changing. I have completed the guidance of 49 Ph.D. theses in a variety of areas. Currently, I have four research grants, three from the National Science Foundation and one from NASA to support my five Ph.D. students. Their research topics are in the general areas of sensing and health monitoring of structures due to earthquakes and winds, dynamics and control of airplane fluttering in transonic and supersonic flows, and nano-mechanics of advanced materials. Before I got into administration, research and teaching were what I chose as my lifetime profession. Doing research is an amazing joy to me. I normally meet my graduate students on weeknights after 10 p.m. and on weekends when I can find time away from my administrative duties.

Q. Do you ever teach undergraduate classes?

A. Ever since I came to UCSB as chancellor, I have taught at least one undergraduate class each year, sometimes two. The subjects are aircraft and mechanical structures. I enjoy teaching immensely. When I begin to lecture, no matter how busy a day it has been, I immediately immerse myself into the world of undergraduate students eager to learn and to converse about an interesting subject. I also enjoy being close to my students, knowing about what they are thinking and about their lives. Sometimes I walk with them to the dining commons after classes. Sometimes I even have a chance to see where they live in I.V. I also enjoy discussing their career goals with them. Another joy is to learn of their accomplishments and contributions after they graduate.

Q. Have you worked with honors students in any administrative capacity?

A. Yes, I have met and worked with many honors students. For example, I meet them and their parents at each regional reception around the state immediately after they are admitted as freshmen. I welcome them as freshmen with convocations, welcoming BBQs, and honors recognition dinners. I see them on campus, at the dining commons, in I.V., and everywhere. I also enjoy shaking their hands during commencement when they are wearing their special honor sashes that symbolize their achievements. Also, I cheer for them and their accomplishments even after they graduate.

Q. Do you have any advice for honors undergraduates at UC Santa Barbara?

A. Your record of achievement thus far indicates that you already have the discipline and talent to succeed and to be among the best. Continue to work hard and do your best. The foundations that you are building at UC Santa Barbara will equip you with the skills to learn on your own for the rest of your life. Take the time to talk with your classmates, T.A.s, and professors. Some of them will remain friends and colleagues. Your teachers and even your peers are wonderful sources of advice to you for your career and even for your future life. Also, take advantage of the many wonderful offerings we have here on campus, including opportunities for research, volunteering, creative activities, and inspiring events. Many students have shared their campus experiences with me. The consensus seems to be that the more involved students become in campus life, including both academics and extracurricular activities, the more they enjoy and benefit from their college years. Immersion in your own discipline, the opportunity to learn about other fields of study, and getting to know your fellow students and professors will help to make your college years fulfilling and memorable.

Q. What do you think is the best thing about UC Santa Barbara and what is the one thing you would change?

A. The excellence of our faculty and students is a point of pride for UC Santa Barbara. Our faculty have garnered many top honors and awards as a result of their innovative research, outstanding teaching, and excellent service. As you may already know, UC Santa Barbara is truly a great place for academic study. I am very proud of the achievements of all of our students and dedicated faculty. We must continuously and incrementally change and improve in every aspect of our efforts in teaching, research, and service, to make UCSB second to none.

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