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Provost Message - June 1, 2017

Dear Faculty and Staff:

I am pleased to share a note of gratitude and a few updates regarding several individuals within the Office of the Provost and the academic enterprise.

Kel Wieder, PhD

It is with a great deal of appreciation that I recognize Dr. Kel Wieder who, for the last two years at my specific and special request, has served as Assistant Vice Provost for Research. Dr. Wieder will again focus full-time on his scholarship and teaching after providing the University with nearly 11 years of high-level administrative service in a variety of capacities.

During his time as Assistant Vice Provost for Research, and prior to that as Assistant Vice President for Research and Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Wieder worked to advance research and scholarship across the University. He was a leading force in advancing several impactful accomplishments including transitioning the Summer Research Grant/Research Support Grant program to the current online University Summer Grant program, establishing the University Faculty Travel Grant Program with Faculty Congress and the Offices of the Deans, and managing the NSF Higher Education Research and Development Survey on behalf of the University. Dr. Wieder’s analyses and strategic thinking were also central to the planning and implementation of the University’s move to doctoral classification and national ranking.

In addition to his administrative service, Dr. Wieder previously served as Associate Dean for Sciences from 2005 to 2012. He has been a faculty member at Villanova for more than 31 years and received Villanova’s Outstanding Faculty Research Award in 1995. He is a well-known expert in a variety of areas, most notably regarding peatland ecosystems in relation to ongoing climate change and disturbance from both wildfire and oil sands development in northern Alberta. His team has received over $10 million in external funding from various sources including the NSF, the EPA, the Smithsonian and Shell Oil. He has also co-authored more than 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals, including Biogeochemistry where he serves on the Editorial Board. Dr. Wieder holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Amherst College, a Master of Arts in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri and a PhD in Biology from West Virginia University.

II Luscri

Through interdisciplinary research, teaching and programming, Villanova’s Institutes and Centers provide valuable experiences for our students, faculty, and staff to support innovation and the creation of new knowledge. To further enhance these collaborations throughout our community, I am pleased to announce that II Luscri will serve as Executive Director of the ICE Institute and Assistant Vice Provost for Centers and Institutes.

In addition to his continued leadership of the ICE Institute, II will provide consultative support to our University-based Institutes and College-based Centers of Excellence and foster collaboration and exchange of best practices to support the advancement of each area’s mission. He will serve as an advocate on behalf of the Institutes and Centers to advance multidisciplinary initiatives and program development. II will also partner with the Office of the Provost to promote a campus culture of creativity, innovation, and excellence in student programming, alumni and external engagement, and thought leadership.

Kevin Grubb

Successful student outcomes are a critical component of the value proposition we provide to our students and their families. To continue to deliver on and further strengthen this promise, I am pleased to announce that Kevin Grubb will serve as Executive Director of the Career Center and Assistant Vice Provost for Professional Development.

In addition to his continued leadership of the Career Center, Kevin will help connect and foster professional and career development programming across the Career Center and the college professional development offices. He will oversee the planning, implementation and evaluation of programs, classes and services designed to meet a variety of student and University needs and interests. Kevin will also work to create opportunities for collaboration and coordination across the University to develop a comprehensive and integrated professional development program.

Please join me in thanking Kel for his many years of administrative service to Villanova and in congratulating II and Kevin. I am extremely grateful for their contributions and look forward to their continued success.

 

Warm regards,

 

Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD
Provost

 

Office of the Provost

Tolentine Hall, Room 103
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
Phone: 610.519.4520
Fax: 610.519.6200

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