A respected expert on quality and reliability engineering, John English is the ninth dean of the University of Arkansas College of Engineering and is the holder of the Irma F. and Raymond F. Giffels Endowed Chair.

English was a faculty member in the University of Arkansas department of industrial engineering from 1991 to 2007, as well as head of the department from 2000 to 2007. English was the founding director of the U of A’s Center for Engineering Logistics and Distribution, and has served as the director of the GENESIS Technology Business Incubator. He was also on the faculty at Texas A&M University, taught at Oklahoma State University, and gained industry experience at AT&T Communications.
English has been active on the national level in shaping the future of engineering education, participating in significant committees for the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), serving as a member of the board of directors for the Reliability and Maintainability Symposium and IIE and as a participant in national meetings of engineering deans. He also holds the membership level of Fellow in the Institute of Industrial Engineers.
Prior to returning to the University of Arkansas, English was dean of the Kansas State College of Engineering and holder of the LeRoy C. and Aileen H. Paslay Chair from 2007 to 2013. Under English’s leadership, the College of Engineering at Kansas State crafted a vision, promoted and expanded its research venues and experienced increases in both private giving and research funding.

English holds a doctorate in industrial engineering and management from Oklahoma State University. He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering