Dr. Dennis Horn, Dean

Dr. Dennis R. Horn, Dean of Engineering and Computer Science at Gonzaga University, has had a 30-year career spanning the public and private sectors, with experience in teaching, research, consulting, and senior management and administration. He holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in Geological Engineering and a Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences and Water Resources. From 1974-83 he headed the Water Resources Division of Anderson-Nichols & Co., a large Boston-based engineering firm, where he was Senior Vice President. He also formerly served on the faculties of Northeastern University and the University of Idaho, and held the position of Dean of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville before coming to Gonzaga in 1997.

Dr. Horn has performed extensive consulting services and conducted research projects in the technical areas of hydrology, riverine hydraulics, floodplain management, water supply, and risk assessment for droughts. His clients have included the World Bank, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to name a few. As part of this consulting activity, for seven years he served as a member of (and ultimately chaired) the Army Science Board, the 100-person advisory board to the Army, and in 1990 was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal by the Secretary of the Army for his work. During his career, he has authored numerous reports, technical papers, and journal articles related to all aspects of water resources engineering and environmental planning and policy.