The former Electrical & Computer Engineering chair will serve as the institute’s inaugural executive director and vice chancellor for innovation and collaboration.
Stephen Bayne, the former chair of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering in the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering, has been appointed the inaugural executive director for the newly created Institute for Critical Infrastructure and vice chancellor for innovation and collaboration.
The appointment, which was made Aug. 1 and announced at last week’s Texas Tech University System (TTU System) Board of Regents meeting, will take Bayne out of his current role as chair and into the institute, where he is charged with examining critical infrastructure vulnerability. The institute will look at ways to clarify and mediate that vulnerability by applying infrastructure design, threat intelligence, cyber analytics and research capacity.
“I am very excited to serve in the dual role at Texas Tech,” Bayne said. “Focusing on critical infrastructure is very important to the Lubbock community and the nation. I look forward to working with the team of faculty, staff and students to investigate and come up with unique solutions for protecting the critical infrastructure. I also look forward to joining the Chancellor’s team and working with the other universities within the System.”
Bayne will help grow the institute by leading strategic recruitment efforts for new faculty hires to fill current research gaps in critical infrastructure capacity. He also will market the institute’s regional, state and national significance to secure state and federal support and develop strategic partnerships with federal agency leaders.
He will identify, develop and oversee research collaborations and develop strategic partnerships with industry in research, innovation and workforce development throughout the TTU System. The institute will collaborate with research offices throughout the System to pursue large grants and contracts.
“I congratulate Dr. Bayne on his new role at Texas Tech,” said Texas Tech Vice President for Research & Innovation Joseph Heppert. “Stephen has a broad knowledge of national security issues, particularly issues that impact the cyber physical security of critical components of the nation’s critical infrastructure. He is the right pick to be the inaugural leader for Texas Tech’s Institute for Critical Infrastructure. I know that Stephen has tremendous respect within the Department of Defense and national security communities, and these relationships will benefit the growth and impact of Texas Tech’s national security efforts.”
Bayne has been an instrumental leader within the Whitacre College of Engineering, the National Wind Institute (NWI) and the Global Laboratory for Energy Asset Management & Manufacturing (GLEAMM). He has established a reputation of excellence in research and workforce development and as a mentor to faculty, staff and students.
He joined the Texas Tech faculty in 2009 and was named department chair in 2021. He also has served as interim dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering and is responsible for more than $32 million in research funding coming to Texas Tech.
“We are excited to welcome Dr. Bayne to our leadership team as vice chancellor for innovation and collaboration in this dual role,” said Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell. M.D. “He is working collaboratively with our university research offices across the System to harness their collective expertise and pursue new partnerships and funding opportunities. In doing so, Dr. Bayne and our researchers continue to focus on and expand our efforts to identify and create innovative solutions for critical needs in our communities, our state and beyond.”