Arts & Sciences dean search committee appointed

Chancellor Andrew D. Martin and Interim Provost Marion G. Crain, the Wiley B. Rutledge Professor of Law at the School of Law, have appointed a 16-member committee to identify candidates for the position of dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Barbara A. Schaal, dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences and the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor of Biology, announced in March her intention to step down as dean by the end of the 2019-20 academic year.

Schaal, who joined the biology department faculty in 1980 as an associate professor, has served as dean since Jan. 1, 2013.

Bobick

Aaron F. Bobick, dean of the McKelvey School of Engineering and the James M. McKelvey Professor, will chair the search committee.

“The search committee comprises a broad representation of the university community, including faculty, staff, student and alumni members. Under the leadership of Dean Bobick as committee chair, I’m confident this exceptional group will help ensure we hire the very best and most well-suited dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences as we continue our trajectory of academic distinction,” Martin said.

Other members of the search committee are:

  • Todd R. Decker, chair and the Paul Tietjens Professor of Music, Arts & Sciences;
  • Ruth Durrell, a senior majoring in educational studies with a second major in sociology, Arts & Sciences, and an undergraduate student representative to the Board of Trustees;
  • Marie Griffith, director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics and the John C. Danforth Distinguished Professor;
  • Peter J. Kastor, chair of history and the Samuel K. Eddy Professor, Arts & Sciences;
  • Jennifer K. Lodge, vice chancellor for research, associate dean for research and professor of molecular microbiology, School of Medicine;
  • Jonathan B. Losos, the William H. Danforth Distinguished University Professor in biology, Arts & Sciences, and director of the Living Earth Collaborative;
  • T. Joseph MacDonald III, MA ’13, doctoral candidate in classics, Arts & Sciences;
  • Beth Martin, senior lecturer in environmental studies in Arts & Sciences and associate director of the Washington University Climate Change Program;
  • Michelle A. Purdy, associate professor of education, Arts & Sciences;
  • Ebba Segerberg, associate dean of academic planning, Arts & Sciences;
  • John W. Shareshian, professor of mathematics, Arts & Sciences;
  • Margit Tavits, professor of political science, Arts & Sciences;
  • Barbara Schaps Thomas, AB ’76, member of the Board of Trustees and chair of the Arts & Sciences National Council;
  • Adia Harvey Wingfield, professor of sociology and associate dean for faculty development in Arts & Sciences; and
  • Jeffrey M. Zacks, professor of psychological and brain sciences, Arts & Sciences.

Lisa M. Siddens, assistant provost for strategic projects and appointments, will assist the committee in this search.

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