Dean is a PhD student in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Minnesota. He works with Professor Kumar K. Tamma on the development and study of algorithms for transient and dynamic applications in computational mechanics. His research strives to foster a fundamental understanding of these algorithms in the engineering community, as well as to establish new techniques to aid in the simulation of complex problems in the physical sciences. In his roles as teaching assistant and course instructor, Dean is passionate about engaging students in an active learning process that emphasizes critical thinking and physical reasoning over rote memorization.

Dean grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Minnesota in 2016. Dean broadly hopes that his work as a researcher and educator will advance the design of new and evolving technologies. He is grateful for the flexibility and security that the ARCS Scholar Award will grant him in pursuing his graduate degree and plans to use the funds to continue his independent research projects.