Dr. Mark J. Rudin was named the thirteenth president of Texas A&M University-Commerce on August 16, 2018. A progressive leader with a passion for innovation and research, Dr. Rudin is using his experience and expertise to grow A&M-Commerce into a leading teaching and research institution.

He works from the belief that innovation is the key to transformation, and he encourages his colleagues to think outside the traditional “box” of higher education to find creative solutions to every challenge. With this mindset, he is helping move A&M-Commerce to the forefront of secondary education in Dallas-Fort Worth and the surrounding areas, introducing innovative programs that address the region's workforce needs and delivering those programs in accessible formats for the modern student.

One of the president's top priorities is to promote unity, connection and civility across the university community. He maintains an open-door policy, and he regularly engages with students, faculty and staff across campus, listening to their stories to understand their experiences. He also fans the flames of the Lion spirit as an enthusiastic supporter of Lion Athletics, student events and performances.

Rudin is married to Elizabeth “Libby” Rudin, a fellow Purdue University graduate and chemist. They have three children, Noah, Mia, and Izzy, and two furry family members, Evie and Pi. The family makes their home in Heritage House, a historic landmark on the east side of the A&M-Commerce campus.

Education and Career

Rudin earned his doctorate in medicinal chemistry from Purdue University. He spent his early career as a project engineer with Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, working to develop new technologies and processes to clean up radioactive waste from the World War II-era Manhattan Project.

Rudin also taught courses in environmental health physics and radiation instrumentation at Idaho State University. Later, he moved to Washington, D.C., to complete a one-year assignment with the U.S. Department of Energy, advising the Office of Environmental Management on technologies to treat mixed nuclear waste streams.

In 1993, Rudin traded government work for academia when he accepted the role of program director for the new Department of Health Physics at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV). As a faculty member, he developed a new master's program in health physics, taught a variety of physics and biology courses, conducted and published research, and served as the health physics department chair. In 2003, he was asked to serve as associate vice president for research and then vice president for research.

After 13 years with UNLV, Rudin left the Nevada desert to join Boise State University (BSU) in 2007 as vice president for research. Under his leadership, research funding increased by more than $26 million and BSU was named a doctoral research institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

He joined the A&M-Commerce family in 2018.

Educational Background

• Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry, Purdue University, 1989
• MS, Health Physics, Purdue University, 1985
• Bachelor of General Health Science, Purdue University, 1983

Employment History

• President and CEO, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 2018-present
• Vice President for Research, Division of Research, Boise State University, 2007-2018
• Interim Vice President for Research and Graduate Dean, Division of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2006-2006
• Senior Associate Vice President for Research Services, Division of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2005-2006
• Associate Vice President for Research Services, Office of Research and Graduate Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2003-2005
• Department Chair, Department of Health Physics, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1993-2003
• Technical/Administrative Assistant, U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, 1992-1993
• Senior Program Specialist/Project Engineer, EG&G, 1989-1993
• Instructor, Department of Health Physis, Idaho State University, 1990-1992

Selected Publications

• Rudin, M.J., O’Brien, M.C., Richardson, J.G., Morrison, J.L. Morrison, and Morneau, R.A. A performance-based methodology for rating remediation systems. Journal of Nuclear Materials Management. 12(1): 31-35. 1993.
• Rudin, M.J. and O’Brien, M.C. Technology logic diagrams. Journal of Nuclear Materials Management. 12(2): 26-30. 1995.
• Rudin, M.J. and Koch, P. Development of a cost-effective collimator. Radiation Protection Management. 12(4): 45-49. 1995.
• Rudin, M.J. (1996) Leaching of selenium from cement-based matrices. Waste Management. 16(4): 305-311. 1996.