The M.V. Explorer will have a new scholastic captain at the helm for the fall 2007 voyage of Semester at Sea: Materials Science Prof. William Soffa, who was recently named to the position of academic dean of Semester at Sea. The University took over the program-- in which students travel around the globe aboard the ship, making stops at exotic locations in Asia, Africa and Europe-- from the University of Pittsburgh last year.
The ship sets sail from Esenada, Mexico Aug. 27 and will not return to the United States until Dec. 7, making this the first full Semester at Sea run by the University.
The upcoming voyage will be Soffa's second time as the academic dean of the program. Prior to teaching at the University, Soffa was a professor at University of Pittsburgh, the program's previous home, and served on the ship in the spring of 1995.
"When I came [to the University], I didn't have any idea [Semester at Sea] was coming," Soffa said. "But, I'm excited about it."
Les McCabe, president of the Institute for Shipboard Education, the sponsor of Semester at Sea, said Soffa's prior experience will make him a great asset to the program.
"In Bill's case, he knows the University and the program," McCabe said. "It will be good to have a dean who can see how the program has improved."
Dudley Doane, director of the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs, said Soffa had a successful previous tenure aboard the Semester at Sea.
"He was very favorably received by the students and faculty on his last voyage," McCabe said. "He has experienced what an effective program it can be."
As an Engineering School professor, Soffa said he hopes to make the program more accessible to students outside the College.
Soffa said Engineering students will definitely be able to take advantage of the global perspective they are able to gain from the program.
"In today's world, study abroad is becoming more important," Soffa said. "Nowadays, engineers have to deal with colleagues from all over the world."
In the past, there have been very few opportunities for Engineering students to go abroad. Semester at Sea will help fill that void, Soffa said.
Soffa added that the program's courses will be fine-tuned to enable more students to take advantage of the curriculum.
The academic rigor of Semester at Sea was called into question last year, and Soffa said he looks forward to repairing the program's tarnished reputation.
"I think people have a very distorted and aberrant view of Semester at Sea," Soffa said.
He added that he would not be associated with a program that was held to a low standard, and his prior experience with the program caused him to hold it in high regard.
"We had a solid academic program and a lot of students had a transformative experience," Soffa said.
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