Vijay K. Dhir, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, served as Dean of UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering & Applied Science from 2003 to 2016. Born in India, Dhir received his Bachelor of Science degree from Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India, and his Master of Technology degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India. He received his PhD from the University of Kentucky, USA. He joined the faculty at UCLA in 1974 and served in several leadership roles before his appointment as Dean. He leads the Boiling Heat Transfer Lab, which has conducted pioneering work in fundamental and applied sciences involving boiling, an efficient process of heat removal. More than 46 PhD students and 40 MS students have graduated under his supervision.

In 2006, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering-among the highest honors awarded to engineers-for his work in boiling heat transfer and nuclear reactor thermal hydraulics and safety. He received the 2004 Max Jakob Memorial Award of ASME and AIChE. He is a fellow of ASME and the American Nuclear Society. He is also a member of European Academy of Science and Arts. He is the author or co-author of over 350 papers published in archival journals and proceedings of conferences.