Gabriele Villarini, a leader in the field of hydrology, has been appointed vice dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science effective Sept. 1. He succeeds Antoine Kahn, who served in the role for nine years and is returning to teaching and research.

Villarini, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the High Meadows Environmental Institute, joined the Princeton University faculty in 2023 after 11 years on the faculty of the University of Iowa. At Iowa, Villarini led IIHR—Hydroscience and Engineering, a center for education, research, and public service focusing on fluids.

“Gabriele is a gifted teacher and a fantastic scholar,” said Andrew Houck, dean of engineering. “He also has proven himself an effective academic leader. He brings a thoughtful multi-institutional perspective to the dean’s office and will be a key partner in enacting our vision for Princeton Engineering over the coming years.”

Houck noted that the vice dean plays an essential role in advancing engineering and applied science at Princeton, with broad responsibilities for budgets, space planning, renovation, internal grants and awards, and other areas of administration. “I can’t thank Antoine enough for his outstanding service as vice dean,” Houck said. “His wise, diligent, collegial approach brought us through the pandemic and ushered in tremendous growth in faculty and student bodies, the construction of new buildings and many administrative improvements.”

Villarini has published more than 280 peer-reviewed papers in the areas of flood hydrology, extreme events, hydroclimatology and climate projections. The American Geophysical Union elected Villarini a fellow and awarded him the James B. Macelwane Medal, both in 2016. After receiving his master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Rome “La Sapienza,” he earned a Ph.D. in civil and environmental engineering and an executive Master of Business Administration from the University of Iowa.