Thomas F. La Porta (EE PhD ’92), a Columbia Engineering alumnus and longtime professor at Penn State University, has been named interim Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering at Penn State, effective July 1, 2026.
La Porta, who previously served as director of Penn State’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, succeeds Tonya Peeples, who stepped down to serve as a special adviser to the university’s executive vice president and provost.
“I am extremely pleased that Dr. La Porta will be stepping into this critical leadership role at a defining moment for the College of Engineering,” said Fotis Sotiropoulos, Penn State executive vice president and provost. “I am confident that Dr. La Porta’s experience, collaborative approach and commitment to excellence will help drive the focus and momentum needed to strengthen the college’s rankings, enhance its reputation, and position it as a leader in engineering research and education.”
La Porta has been a member of the Penn State faculty since 2002 and was named an Evan Pugh University Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Electrical Engineering in 2016. He served as the William E. Leonhard Chair in Engineering from 2012 to 2023 and became director of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 2016. Previously, he was the founding director of Penn State’s Institute of Networking and Security Research and led a Department of Defense-funded center on network science involving more than 20 faculty members from multiple institutions.
Before entering academia, La Porta spent 17 years at Bell Laboratories, where he directed research projects in wireless and mobile networking. He also maintained close ties to Columbia University, serving as an adjunct faculty member for seven years and teaching courses on mobile networking and protocol design.
An IEEE Fellow and Bell Labs Fellow, La Porta has made significant contributions to wireless networks, cybersecurity and distributed intelligent systems. His achievements include two Thomas Alva Edison Patent Awards, the Bell Labs Distinguished Technical Staff Award and the Eta Kappa Nu Outstanding Young Electrical Engineer Award. He has published extensively and holds 39 patents.
La Porta has also played a prominent role in advancing engineering research through academic publishing and professional service. He was the founding editor-in-chief of IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing and served as editor-in-chief of IEEE Personal Communications Magazine. He has held several leadership positions within the IEEE Communications Society.
La Porta earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from The Cooper Union before completing his PhD in electrical engineering at Columbia University in 1992.
“I’ve dedicated much of my career to Penn State and the College of Engineering, and I care deeply about its people and its future,” La Porta said. “Engineering education — and the broader higher education landscape — is changing rapidly and becoming increasingly competitive.”
This story was adapted from the original announcement published by Penn State University on April 27, 2026.
Original story: La Porta Named Interim Dean of the Penn State College of Engineering
