Vice Provost for Research and Administration
Professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- PhD, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
- BChE, Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Truc Ngo, PhD, is Vice Provost for Research and Administration at the University of San Diego. She is also a professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering in the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering. As Vice Provost, she provides leadership and oversight for USD's research mission, promoting key activities that support faculty research development, processes and research administration operations across the institution. Other academic areas under Dr. Ngo’s supervision include institutional research, accreditation, academic program review and assessment, international affairs, registrar’s office, enrollment, institute of college initiatives, and career development.
Dr. Ngo joined USD as a tenure-track faculty member in 2009 and served as the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department Chair in 2018-2022. Over the years, she developed extensive interdisciplinary curriculum and taught a variety of courses, focusing on manufacturing processes, manufacturing systems, sustainability, and coffee. Working with Engineering Dean, Dr. Ngo pioneered and established the coffee lab and program for the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering.
Dr. Ngo collaborated and published extensively with students and colleagues across USD, other institutions, international scholars, external research labs and industry, and community partners in developing countries. Her research interests are in the areas of materials and processes involving polymers, composites, organic semiconductors, and supercritical fluids. Between 2014-2022, Dr. Ngo led several humanitarian engineering service-learning trips with undergraduate students to the Dominican Republic, developing sustainable solutions in the areas of water, energy, and waste to help improve local living conditions.
Prior to USD, Dr. Ngo worked as a Senior Process Engineer at Intel Corporation, developing cutting-edge fabrication processes to manufacture microchips for computers and mobile devices. After transitioning to academia in 2004, Dr. Ngo founded the Manufacturing Engineering Technology Associate’s degree program at San Diego City College, first of its kind in the state of California.
Dr. Ngo earned her Bachelor’s degree (with Highest Honors) and her PhD degree in Chemical Engineering (with a Chemistry minor) from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Scholarly Work
- With Lauren Hoffman, Gordon D. Hoople, William Trevena, Udeema Shakya, and Gregory Barr, "Surface morphology and drug loading characterization of 3D-printed methacrylate-based polymer facilitated by supercritical carbon dioxide," Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 2020.
- With Hoffman, L., "Affordable Solar Thermal Water Heating Solution for Rural Dominican Republic," Renewable Energy, vol. 115, pp. 1220-1230, 2018.
- With Blair, S., Kuwahara, K., Christensen, D., Barrera, I., Domingo, M., and Singamneni, S., "Drug Impregnation for Laser Sintered Poly(methyl methacrylate) Biocomposites Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide," The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, vol. 136, pp. 26-29, 2018.
- With Kohl, J., Bierwisch, N., Favaro, G., Rengnet, E., and Schwarzer, N., "Determining the Viscoelastic Behavior of Polyester Fiberglass Composite by Continuous Micro-Indentation and Friction Properties," Wear, vol. 350-351, pp. 63-67, Mar. 15, 2016.
- With Lambert, C., Dorren, B., Gee, B., Go, S., and George, R., "Effects of deposition and supercritical CO2 treatment parameters on physical and electrical properties of pentacene thin films," Synthetic Metals, vol. 220, pp. 384-393, 2016.
- With Kohl, J., Paradise, T., Khalily, A., and Simonson, D., "Improving Mechanical Properties of Thermoset Biocomposites by Fiber Coating or Organic Oil Addition," International Journal of Polymer Science, vol. 2015, pp. 1-7, 2015.
- With Lambert, C., Benz, L., and Chau, M., "Improving the Compostability of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Thermoset Composites with a Tertiary Oil Phase," Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering, vol. 52, 7, pp. 710-717, 2013.
- With Keegan, J. and George, R., "Processing Behaviors of Thin-Film Pentacene and Benzene-1,4-Diboronic Acid in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide," Thin Solid Films, vol. 520, 3, pp. 1022-1026, 2011.
- With Jessop, P., Stanley, R., Brown, R., Eckert, C., Liotta, C., and Pollet, P., "Neoteric Solvents for Asymmetric Hydrogenation: Supercritical Fluids, Ionic Liquids, and Expanded Ionic Liquids," Green Chemistry, vol. 5, 2, pp. 123-128, 2003.
- With McCarney, J., Brown, J., Lazzaroni, M., Counts, K., Liotta, C., and Eckert, C., "Surface modification of Polybutadiene Facilitated by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide," Journal of Applied Polymer Science, vol. 88, 2, pp. 522-530, 2003.