President Shirley M. Tilghman has appointed a nine-member committee to search for a new dean of Princeton’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Maria Klawe, dean for the past three years, has been selected to become president of Harvey Mudd College, effective July 1. During her tenure, she led a strategic planning process that produced a vision for the future of engineering at Princeton.

“This search comes at a time when the School of Engineering is on the path toward implementing a bold and exciting strategic plan that has the support of the engineering faculty and the University administration,” Tilghman said. “It is important to preserve the school’s positive momentum. I have accordingly asked the search committee to give special attention to candidates, such as current members of the Princeton faculty, who have a thorough understanding of and commitment to the school’s strategic plan.”

The search committee will be chaired by Sharad Malik, the George Van Ness Lothrop Professor in Engineering. Other members will be: Bonnie Bassler, professor of molecular biology; William Bialek, the John Archibald Wheeler/Battelle Professor in Physics; Claire Gmachl, associate professor of electrical engineering; Jeremy Kasdin, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; Richard Register, professor of chemical engineering; Jennifer Rexford, professor of computer science; James Smith, professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Robert Vanderbei, professor and chair of operations research and financial engineering. Terri Harris Reed, associate provost for institutional equity, will provide staff support to the committee.

The committee will recommend candidates to Tilghman, who will appoint the new dean, subject to approval of the Board of Trustees. She has asked the committee to aim to have a new dean in place before Klawe leaves in June.