O'Hanlon named interim director of Durham School

James O'Hanlon has been named interim director of the Charles W. Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Durham School is based in Omaha with programs in both Lincoln and Omaha.

O'Hanlon is a professor in UNL's College of Education and Human Sciences with expertise in academic leadership. O'Hanlon previously served as dean of Teachers College, led the university's re-accreditation report development, and served as interim director of the Nebraska Alumni Association.

Grenville Yuill, professor of architectural engineering at UNL, has served as the founding director of the school since July 2007. Yuill has announced he is stepping down from the director's post and will return to his faculty position.

"I am pleased that Jim O'Hanlon has agreed to serve as interim director," said David Allen, dean of the UNL College of Engineering. "His academic administrative expertise and leadership capabilities will be especially valuable at a time that the school is entering a phase of strategic and academic planning. His organizational skills will help position the school to attain an even stronger reputation nationally and internationally.

"Dr. Yuill has played a pivotal role in the development of both the architectural engineering program and the Durham School. The initial successes of the school in recruitment and programmatic development demonstrate the strong leadership he has provided in this position."

O'Hanlon will assume the interim director's position Feb. 2 and will serve until a permanent director is named, following a national search.

Yuill has been at UNL since 1998, when he came from Pennsylvania State University to help create the university's new architectural engineering program. He served as Durham School director in an interim capacity from 2005 until being named director in 2007.

The Durham School has about 700 students and offers quality programs to address the high demand for qualified professionals in the building design and construction industries. The Durham School is a part of the College of Engineering at UNL. It is the only program in the nation that combines architectural engineering, construction engineering and construction management under one school, giving students a comprehensive building system education.

The school is named for Charles "Chuck" Durham, retired chairman and CEO of HDR Inc. Durham and his late wife, Margre, established the Durham Foundation, which made the initial major gift to the school in 2005. Combined with gift commitments from several other donors, the Durham School is near its goal of raising $30 million to provide program support including endowed faculty awards, graduate fellowships, scholarships and general program enhancements.