John Lach’s office hours always looked more like group brainstorming sessions. He and his students would huddle around a whiteboard and work through a problem together—a process known as “think alouds” that he learned from a mentor. Later on, he would add “homework-less” office hours to give students a chance to talk with him about career paths, research opportunities or mentoring beyond equations.
“We were learning and growing together,” Lach said.
That spirit of shared learning and collaborative problem-solving now defines his leadership style—and it’s the mindset he brings as the George Washington University’s new interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs after serving the previous six years as dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science (GW Engineering).
President Ellen M. Granberg appointed Lach to this position, which he began in an official capacity on July 1. He is assuming the role vacated by Christopher Alan Bracey, who in June announced that he would step back from the provost post after four years to return to his legal scholarship roots teaching at GW Law. Lach will serve as interim provost while a national search is being conducted.
“John Lach exemplifies the collaborative leadership and bold thinking that define GW,” Granberg said. “As dean, he advanced a people-first approach rooted in compassion, intellectual rigor and a deep commitment to student success. His interdisciplinary vision—connecting technology with policy, health and society—has expanded GW Engineering’s impact and reach across disciplines.”
Lach spent the first 19 years of his career teaching electrical and computer engineering at the University of Virginia, where he also held multiple academic leadership roles, including department chair and co-founder of the interdisciplinary Link Lab.
His own academic journey started early when his father, also an electrical engineer, taught him about circuits during childhood road trips. Lach, a Wisconsin native, attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in science, technology and society, blending engineering with the social sciences and humanities. He went on to earn his master’s and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from UCLA and began his nearly two-decade stint in Charlottesville, Va., in 2000.
Even in his most technical research, Lach was drawn to interdisciplinary questions, and that curiosity shaped a career at the intersection of technology, systems and people, including health applications. It also attracted him to GW when the GW Engineering dean position became available in 2019. The more Lach learned of GW, the more excited he became. He saw tremendous opportunity with the role engineering and computer science played within such a comprehensive university located at the nexus of government and public policy, and it was an easy “yes” when he was offered the job.
Early on in his GW tenure during conversations with faculty, staff and students, his instincts were confirmed.
“Everyone had an interest in connecting engineering and computing with something else,” Lach said. “It might be policy, law, business, health, the environment, you name it. That resonated deeply with me, based on my own background, and I saw it as our opportunity to amplify our work and advance to even higher levels. We embraced that ‘Engineering and…’ identity.”
Under his leadership, GW Engineering leaned into that brand, securing large-scale grants and partnerships, including the successful Trustworthy AI Initiative that connects core AI capabilities with law, public policy, international affairs and more. GW Engineering has also formed partnerships with government agencies and national research labs, including major partnerships with the U.S. Navy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
“Initiatives like our Trustworthy AI program reflect the kind of forward-looking leadership John brings to everything he does,” Granberg said. “I’m grateful he has agreed to serve as interim provost and confident he will bring the same energy, strategic insight and spirit of shared purpose to this new role.”
He recognizes the importance of the moment for the institution, noting external challenges but also huge opportunities such as the strategic framework, which will roll out this fall.
“As a university, we have incredible momentum under President Granberg’s leadership, and I believe in her vision,” Lach said.
Lach, who describes his leadership style as “strategy-based empowerment,” plans to help people across the university community realize their bold ideas and tackle them together with clarity and purpose in-line with the strategic framework. Lach is especially excited to dig deep into his interdisciplinary roots in this role and work across schools and teams and engage more deeply with other faculty leaders and students to help execute GW’s strategy at the university level.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to learn something new every day and to support people in doing work they’re passionate about,” Lach said. “I’ve always loved helping people do meaningful work—and learning alongside them. That’s really what drives me.”
