When Mohan Tanniru failed his first project testing magnetic properties of materials as an engineering student, he realized that there was no way to apply the theories he learned in the classroom to a real job without experience.

"It's not sufficient to just teach the theory," Tanniru said. "Professors like to teach elegant theories, but you have to understand that it may not always work."

Now a Management Information Systems professor, Tanniru has been working on a program the last five years that brings real-life business experience with local companies to the MIS students at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.

The UA Department of Management Information Systems ÷ ranked fourth nationally ÷ also emphasizes such collaboration between companies and students. So the department hired Tanniru to lead the top-ranked department after Olivia Sheng stepped down from the position last July.

Tanniru will become the new head of MIS in January. He has hopes of more expanding relationships with companies in Tucson, Phoenix and even the West Coast.

"I want students to practice what they're learning before graduation so they don't get frustrated and disillusioned," Tanniru said.

Funding and faculty retention will be some key issues this November when Tanniru comes down to discuss how the department will be run, said Mark Zupan, dean of Eller College of Business and Public Administration.

Tanniru's goal as the head of MIS is to keep in touch with the faculty and find more funding.

"I can't do this job alone I need (the faculty's) help," he said.

When Tanniru found out that the MIS department's nation-wide search for a new department head was narrowed down to him, he was hesitant to accept the offer, knowing that it would take him further away from his family. Two of his sons attend the University of Michigan and his oldest son lives in Pittsburgh.

But change is a part of Tanniru's life.

Tanniru grew up in India and then moved to the United States in 1970. He has spent most of the last 30 years on college campuses.

Tanniru will move to Tucson this winter to start his new role in the business college.

The department head is someone who guides the department and improves it while maintaining its national leadership, said Ken Smith, interim MIS department head.

"(Tanniru) is very good at creating that kind of environment and building bridges," he said.