Dean's Office North Carolina A&T State University       Dr. Joseph Monroe     Dean of College of Engineering Print this page     Education:   Ph.D. Computer Science, Texas A&M University  (TAMU), 1972. M.S. Computer Science, Texas A&M University  (TAMU), 1967. B.S. Electrical Engineering, North Carolina A&T State University, 1962. Biography:   Dr. Joseph Monroe earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Mathematics from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (NCA&TSU) in 1962. Dr. Monroe then achieved a Master of Science degree in Computer Science from Texas Agricultural & Mechanical University (TAMU) in 1967. Dr. Monroe was a founding member of the first Computer Science Honor Society, Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), in this same year. UPE is the only national and international honor society in Computer Science; its purpose is to promote outstanding scholarship and original investigation in the field of computer science. Dr. Monroe earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science (TAMU) in 1972, the first African-American to earn such a degree. Dr. Monroe subsequently assumed a faculty position at the United States Air Force Academy, where he advanced through both the academic and the military ranks during twenty-one years of service. He rose from Instructor to full Professor and from Captain to full Colonel while at the Academy. In 1978, Dr. Monroe became the first African-American Permanent Professor at the United States Air Force Academy. This type of appointment is an honor of great distinction. There are no appointments at civilian institutions of higher learning that are equivalent to this appointment. Permanent Professors at the United States Air Force Academy are selected from the entire Air Force and they must have both outstanding academic qualifications and documented achievements of extraordinary significance. The President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate, has the exclusive privilege to appoint Permanent Professors at the Academy. Dr. Monroe joined a very elite group of only twenty-two Permanent Professors out of a faculty of six hundred members when he received this appointment. Dr. Monroe succeeded in numerous positions during his tenure at the Air Force Academy. He was the Assistant Dean of Faculty (1978-1981), the Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering (1981-1982) and the Head of the Department of Computer Science (1982-1987). In 1985, he hosted a successful accreditation visit by the Computer Science Accrediting Board (CSAB). The computer science program at the Academy was not only accredited during this visit; it joined the very first group of programs to be accredited by CSAB. Since this visit, Dr. Monroe continues to serve as an annual Visitor for CSAB and he has developed, delivered, and implemented accredited computer science programs for the Egyptian Air Force Academy, the Royal Thai Air Force Academy, Fayetteville State University, and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. Since joining the University of North Carolina System, Dr. Monroe has also succeeded in many different capacities. He was the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs for the General Administration of this system from 1987 to 1988. Dr. Monroe then assumed the position of Vice Chancellor for Advancement at Fayetteville State University (1988-1989). He was Vice- Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Fayetteville State University from 1989 to 1991. In 1991, Dr. Monroe was awarded the distinguished Ronald E. McNair Endowed Chair Professorship in Computer Science at NCA&TSU, an appointment that he still vigorously holds today. He was also appointed Chair of the Department of Computer Science in 1991 and he chaired this department until the end of the 2000 academic year. Dr. Monroe is currently the Dean of the College of Engineering at NCA&TSU. In addition, he is a board member of the Board of Directors for the Industries of the Blind (since 1995), a board member of the Board of Directors for Computing at NASA (since 1995), and a Member the Board that governs the practice of Engineering and Surveying in North Carolina (since 1998).   Contact:     Dean's Office, College of Engineering NC A&T University, Greensboro, NC 27411 Phone: (336) 334-7589 E-mail: monroe@ncat.edu              Return to Leadership Team