Dr. Renata S. Engel is Vice Provost for Online Education at Penn State. The Office of Online Education administers Penn State’s World Campus, which offers more than 150 online degree and certificate programs for distance learners, many of whom are adult learners, across the globe and includes support for academic advising, faculty teaching online, the development and evaluation of online curricular innovations, and advancing student affairs practices for online learners.

Engel also provides leadership to several university-wide initiatives that advance Penn State’s mission to address access and affordability—such as co-chairing the Enhanced Education Pathways committee established to develop initiatives to increase retention and graduation and decrease the total cost of a degree, which includes the Pathway to Success Summer Start initiative and the Student Transitional Experiences Program.

A member of the Penn State faculty since 1990, Dr. Engel is Professor of Engineering Design and Engineering Science and Mechanics and served as the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Engineering from 2006 to 2014 and the Executive Director of the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence at Penn State from 2000 to 2006. She earned a B.S. in engineering science from Penn State and a Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from the University of South Florida.