MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Penn State Harrisburg not too long ago introduced the appointment of Shirley Clark as director of the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology (SSET), efficient May 1.
Clark, who joined Penn State Harrisburg in 2003, has served because the appearing director of SSET since July 1, 2023. In 2026, she was named a distinguished professor of environmental engineering.
“I am pleased to announce Dr. Clark’s appointment as director of the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology,” mentioned Chancellor David Callejo Pérez. “Shirley’s dedication to student success, as well as her leadership in advancing innovative learning and research opportunities have been instrumental to the school’s growth and impact. As science and technology continue to evolve, I am confident that Dr. Clark will help position Penn State Harrisburg as a leader in driving innovation and preparing students to meet the needs within the region and beyond.”
Her analysis focus is on stormwater administration, city water high quality and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Currently, her analysis focuses on the problem that society faces as city development and decaying infrastructure intersect with local weather change and susceptible communities. Since 2017, her analysis group has been addressing rainfall-induced flooding in city areas, particularly because of this of high-intensity, short-duration storms and historic land improvement methods.
Clark has been lively in a number of skilled societies and on varied advisory committees. She is previous president of the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) Environment and Water Resources Institute (EWRI), in addition to the Central Pennsylvania Section of ASCE. Currently, she serves on each the ASCE Committee on Workforce and Education and the American Society for Engineering Education’s Committee on Workforce Development. She is one of the Pennsylvania gubernatorial appointments to the Chesapeake Bay Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. She is a member of the ASCE-NOAA Task Force and the Collaboration Innovation Team, which is charged with forward-scanning the occupation.
Clark, not too long ago named an ASCE fellow, is an lively mentor for college kids and is school adviser to the school’s ASCE Sustainable Solutions Team. Her awards embody the 2021 EWRI Service to the Institute Award; the 2021 Urban Water Resources Research Council Outstanding Service Award; the 2025 Women in Tech Moxie Award from the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania; the 2015 Penn State Harrisburg Excellence in Advising Award; the 2016 Kathryn Townsend Award; and the 2016 Penn State Harrisburg Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity Award.