UChicago News

Mary Lou Gorno appointed chair of Smart Museum Board

Tue, 05 Jun 2018 16:15 -0500

Mary Lou Gorno, a business executive and alumna of Chicago Booth who serves as vice chair of the University of Chicago’s Board of Trustees, has been appointed chair of the Smart Museum of Art’s Board of Governors.

Gorno, managing director of the executive search firm Ingenuity International, serves the University in a variety of capacities, including chair of the University of Chicago Phoenix Society, a trustee of Court Theatre and a director at NORC. She has been a member of UChicago’s Board of Trustees since 2004.

“Mary Lou Gorno brings to the Smart Museum Board of Governors a deep knowledge of the University of Chicago and extensive experience in leading organizations. I look forward to seeing momentum as the Smart Museum continues to grow with her board leadership, supporting the expanding role of the arts at the University,” President Robert J. Zimmer said.

Gorno’s two-year appointment as board chair is effective Sept. 1. The Smart Museum of Art is UChicago’s fine arts museum, home to thought-provoking exhibitions, a wide-ranging collection, and public programs that encourage the examination of complex issues through the lens of art objects and artistic practice, both contemporaneously and across history.

"The arts have an important and growing role at the University of Chicago. I look forward to working with my fellow board members in support of Alison Gass and her dynamic team as the Smart Museum writes the future of university art museums," Gorno said.

Gorno succeeds Pamela Hoehn-Saric, MAT’81, who has served as chair of the Smart Museum Board since 2012. During that period, the Smart Museum celebrated its 40th anniversary, appointed Alison Gass as the Dana Feitler Director and launched the Feitler Center of Academic Inquiry. Hoehn-Saric will continue to serve as a member of the Smart Museum Board.

“I am thrilled to welcome Mary Lou to the board as chair-elect,” said Hoehn-Saric. “The Smart is on an exciting trajectory, and Mary Lou brings extensive experience and talent in board development and strategy, which will help Ali, the board and the staff realize Ali’s exciting vision for the museum.”

Gorno earned a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Saint Mary’s College, a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and master’s degree in finance and accounting from UChicago’s Booth School of Business.

Gorno began her career in advertising, becoming a senior executive at the Leo Burnett Company where she worked with Walt Disney, Reebok and Procter & Gamble. She later moved to the executive search profession and currently leads the CEO and Board practice for Fortune 500, mid-cap and privately owned companies. As a board and CEO adviser, she specializes in organizational governance, succession planning and leadership issues.

In addition to her extensive involvement at the University, Gorno serves as vice chair of the Board of Trustees of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, vice chair of the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic School Board and director of the Chicago Humanities Festival.

Nipam Patel appointed director of the Marine Biological Laboratory

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 11:30 -0500

Nipam Patel, a leading scholar in modern evolutionary and developmental biology, has been appointed director of the Marine Biological Laboratory, an affiliate of the University of Chicago. In addition, Patel will be appointed as a faculty member at the University of Chicago.

Patel currently holds the William V. Power Endowed Chair in Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is professor and co-chair of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and professor in the Department of Integrative Biology. His appointment is effective Sept. 4.

Patel’s connections to the MBL and the University reach back two decades. For the past 17 years, he has taught the MBL Embryology course, having served as co-director from 2007 to 2011. Patel’s ties to UChicago include serving as a professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy from 1995 to 2003.

Patel studies the evolutionary changes that have brought about the diversity of life seen today. Over the course of his career, he has established a marine crustacean named Parhyale hawaiensis as a genetic model for understanding how diverse body plans develop and evolve. Patel’s significant scientific contributions complement a core focus of the MBL: discoveries emerging from the study of novel marine organisms, including research in comparative evolution and genomics, regenerative biology, neuroscience and sensory biology.

Prof. Nipam Patel established a marine crustacean, Parhyale hawaiensis, as a model system for studying the evolution and development of diverse body plans. (Image courtesy of Nipam Patel, MBL Embryology course 2017)

“From a pool of extraordinarily accomplished candidates, Nipam distinguished himself as particularly passionate about MBL’s rich history and even more so about its promising future,” said David Fithian, executive vice president of the University of Chicago, MBL trustee and co-chair of the search advisory committee. “He will be a compelling spokesperson for and determined leader of the MBL’s next chapter.”

“It is an incredible honor to have the opportunity to lead the MBL, an institution that has had a remarkable influence on my own career through the teaching and research opportunities it has provided me over almost 20 years,” Patel said. “I am excited to build upon the MBL’s extraordinary history to elevate it to even greater prominence, and to partner with the University of Chicago in this endeavor. I look forward to working with all the dedicated MBL scientists and staff, as well as all those who come to visit and share in the magic of the MBL.”

Patel grew up in El Paso, Texas and received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Princeton University and a PhD in biological sciences from Stanford University. He joined the University of California, Berkeley in 2003, where he has held the Schubert Endowed Chair, and serves as faculty curator at the Essig Museum of Entomology. Patel has served as an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and an adjunct professor at the National Institute of Genetics in Shizuoka, Japan. He began his career as a staff associate in the Department of Embryology at the Carnegie Institution in Baltimore, Maryland.

Patel is the editor of the journal Development and serves on the editorial boards of eLife, EvoDevo, Developmental Biology, Development Genes and Evolution and Evolution and Development. He is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has served on numerous advisory boards, including the board of directors of the Society for Developmental Biology.

Patel is a member of the MBL Education Committee, which provides strategic planning for more than 20 advanced research training courses and other educational programs at the MBL, including collaborative initiatives with UChicago.

Patel succeeds interim MBL co-directors Melina Hale, the William Rainey Harper Professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy and in the College, and vice provost for academic initiatives at UChicago; and Neil Shubin, the Robert R. Bensley Professor in the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at UChicago.

The MBL in Woods Hole, Massachusetts is a leading international center for investigation in the biological and ecological sciences. Founded in 1888, the laboratory convenes scientists from institutions around the world to collaborate in its resident and visiting research centers and to teach in its education division. UChicago and the MBL formed an affiliation in 2013.

The selection of the new director by President Robert J. Zimmer was informed by a search advisory committee, which Fithian co-chaired along with Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, an investigator at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.

Yesomi Umolu, exhibitions curator at Logan Center, named artistic director of next Chicago Architecture Biennial

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 09:03 -0600

Yesomi Umolu, exhibitions curator at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago, will serve as the artistic director of the Chicago Architecture Biennial 2019 edition, the Biennial and Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on March 6.

With a background in architectural design and curatorial studies, Umolu focuses her work on global contemporary art and spatial practices. Her recent projects—including the exhibitions Kapwani Kiwanga: The sum and its parts, The Land Grant: Forest Law, and The Museum of Non Participation: The New Deal—have explored the politics of the built environment. A Chicago-based curator and writer, Umolu is a visiting lecturer, critic and speaker at a number of international universities and institutions.

“I am honored to be invited to serve as artistic director of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial,” said Umolu. “Having my roots in the field of architecture, spatial questions have always been an important consideration of my work with contemporary artists, architects and urbanists from across the world. I am excited to embark on the journey of engaging the city of Chicago and it publics, as well as visitors to Chicago from across the country and around the world, in these conversations.”

Jack Guthman, chairman of the Biennial, said Umolu’s “broad curatorial experience makes her ideally suited to build upon the critical acclaim accorded to our 2015 and 2017 Biennials by our dual constituencies—the architecture profession worldwide, as well as Chicagoans and visitors to our city.”

In the coming months, Umolu will formalize and convene an international curatorial team of creative practitioners with strong knowledge of visual arts, architecture and design practices globally. The members of the curatorial team will be announced this spring. Umolu’s vision for the next Chicago Architecture Biennial features the exploration of emerging practices and global locations that are developing new approaches to architecture, urbanism and spatial practice. Through this process, she will use the Biennial as a forum to explore creative responses to shifting spatial conditions at local, regional and international levels.

“Yesomi is a visionary curator with strong roots in Chicago, and she will work tirelessly to cultivate an incredible cultural, educational and economic event for the city,” said Emanuel. “With Yesomi at the helm, the third Chicago Architecture Biennial is sure to secure its reputation as the most innovative architectural, art and design showcase of its kind.”

“We are delighted by Yesomi Umolu’s appointment as the next artistic director of the Chicago Architecture Biennial. The appointment further testifies to the curatorial imagination and dexterity she has demonstrated so well at the Logan Center for the Arts,” said Daniel Diermeier, provost of the University of Chicago. “By consistently showcasing the best in architectural innovation—in a city renowned for its architectural achievements—the Biennial advances the conversation about the potential impact of design. That conversation is playing an increasing role at the University of Chicago, and it is vital, of course, to the future of Chicago’s South Side, as to cities around the world.”

Umolu was selected by a committee comprised of Chicago Architecture Biennial board members, as well as past artistic directors, who considered candidates from around the world and from a variety of disciplines. Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial artistic directors, said: “Umolu’s curatorial practice, which boldly, yet elegantly, traverses the fields of art and architecture, makes her uniquely situated for success in this role. The Biennial is a complex and multifaceted platform for exploring both the history and present-day challenges in the field, and we eagerly await the outcomes of Umolu’s curatorial inquiry and exploration.”

Now in its third edition, the Biennial will return Sept. 19, 2019 and run through Jan. 5, 2020.

Following a successful partnership in 2017, the opening of the 2019 edition will align with EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, and the main site of the Biennial will once again be the Chicago Cultural Center.

—Adapted from a Chicago Architecture Biennial news release.

Gretchen Crosby Sims appointed executive director at Institute of Politics

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 10:00 -0600

Gretchen Crosby Sims will be the new executive director at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, the institute announced today.

Sims is an accomplished leader in the fields of politics and public policy, reflecting her deep commitment to the values of service and civic engagement central to the IOP’s mission.

Most recently, she was a director at Social Finance UK, a leading impact investment consulting firm in London. Previously, she served as the chief program executive at Chicago’s Joyce Foundation, where she oversaw grant making programs in seven issue areas, ranging from education to gun violence prevention. She also served for six years on the board of the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues.

“Gretchen’s rich background and obvious passion made her a splendid choice,” said IOP founder and director David Axelrod in announcing the appointment. “She’s an exceptional person who will bring great energy and vision to the IOP. I’m thrilled to welcome her.”

Sims succeeds Steve Edwards, who in August returned to Chicago public radio as vice president and chief content officer for WBEZ.

Since opening its doors in 2013, the non-partisan IOP has brought more than 1,000 speakers from across the political spectrum and around the globe to engage in thoughtful dialogue with UChicago students.

Each quarter, the IOP also hosts a roster of visiting fellows; distinguished practitioners in politics, policy, and journalism, who lead seminars and mentor students. The IOP has sent more than 800 students on life-changing internships in the U.S. and overseas and supported students in launching innovative and impactful civic engagement programs of their own conception.

“Now more than ever, our country needs thoughtful, talented leaders for its political and civic institutions,” Sims said. “The Institute is playing an extraordinary role in inspiring, informing and preparing the next generation of those leaders for public service, and I’m delighted to join David and the IOP team in January to continue and strengthen this work.”

Sims has also worked at the Council on Foreign Relations, CNN, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and as a policy adviser to presidential candidate Bill Bradley. She holds a BA in government from Harvard University as well as PhD and MA degrees in political science from Stanford University, where she won a departmental award for teaching excellence. She was selected as an inaugural Fellow of the Entrepreneurial Leaders for Public Education Program, created by the Aspen Institute and the New Schools Venture Fund.

Paul K. Kearns appointed director of Argonne National Laboratory

Fri, 17 Nov 2017 09:45 -0600

Paul K. Kearns has been appointed director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. President Robert J. Zimmer announced the appointment in his capacity as chairman of the board of directors of UChicago Argonne LLC, which operates Argonne for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Kearns, who has served in multiple leadership roles in the national laboratory system and at the Department of Energy, is currently the interim director of Argonne. His appointment is effective immediately.

Kearns is the 14th director of Argonne, a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center that seeks scientific and engineering solutions to the grand challenges of our time: sustainable energy, a healthy environment and a secure nation.

“Paul has a strong record of leadership at laboratories across the country, and brings to Argonne a deep understanding of how to support and advance research and scientific discovery,” said Zimmer. “We look forward to working with him on an ambitious program of research in science and engineering that helps address critical challenges faced by society.”

The University of Chicago manages the laboratory for the Department of Energy through UChicago Argonne, LLC. Argonne was established in 1946 following the first sustained nuclear reaction conducted at the University as part of the Manhattan Project. Argonne was the first in a series of national laboratories funded to conduct scientific research in the nation’s interest.

Today, the laboratory’s mission is to lead discovery and to power innovation in a wide range of energy and scientific priorities—from fundamental research on physics, computing and chemistry to cutting-edge applications for batteries and energy storage, security and sustainable energy analysis, and innovation.

The laboratory works closely with UChicago in these areas as well as such emerging priorities as quantum computing, microbiome research, sensing and detecting, and water research.

Kearns will lead the laboratory as it pursues the next generation of science. Such work includes bringing the nation to the next level of supercomputing power—called “exascale”—by the year 2021, and new initiatives in materials science and chemistry. Argonne is in the process of upgrading the brightness and energy of the Advanced Photon Source, the laboratory’s powerful X-ray synchrotron, where thousands of scientists annually conduct research across a wide-range of fields.

Kearns joined Argonne in 2010 as its chief operations officer. During his career at Argonne, he has helped drive and increase collaboration to advance Argonne’s most critical initiatives and expanded engagement with the University and its Institute for Molecular Engineering. He also has streamlined operations for efficiency, which improved execution and delivery of services. He also has worked to increase collaboration across the laboratory, as well as strengthen relationships and raise the laboratory’s visibility with sponsors and partners.

Kearns’ appointment was informed by a panel of distinguished leaders and scientists, chaired by Eric D. Isaacs, UChicago executive vice president for research, innovation and national laboratories and a former director of Argonne. Kearns became interim director in January after then-Laboratory Director Peter Littlewood stepped down to assume a faculty position at the University of Chicago.

Prior to joining Argonne, Kearns served as the laboratory director of Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and held a series of roles at Battelle Global Laboratory Operations. At Battelle, he conducted strategic planning and business development for research activities in energy, environment and national security.

Kearns holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in bionucleonics, and a bachelor’s degree in natural resources and environmental sciences, all from Purdue University. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Nuclear Society and the Society for Conservation Biology.

Dieter Roelstraete appointed curator of Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 12:45 -0600

Dieter Roelstraete, an internationally renowned curator of contemporary art, has been named the next curator of the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society.

In his new role, effective November 10, Roelstraete will oversee all aspects of the Neubauer Collegium Exhibitions Gallery, working with the University arts community as well as with arts organizations in the city of Chicago and around the world.

Roelstraete joins the Neubauer Collegium after serving on the curatorial team that organized documenta 14, the international art exhibition that ran this past spring and summer in Kassel, Germany, and Athens, Greece. Widely hailed as a significant statement about the relevance and aesthetic concerns of the contemporary art world, the show brought together work by 160 artists at more than 80 sites.

The move is a return to Chicago for Roelstraete. Prior to his work with documenta 14, he served as the Manilow Senior Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago from 2012 to 2015. During his time there, Roelstraete organized and co-organized a number of highly regarded shows, including The Way of the Shovel: Art as Archaeology (2015); The Freedom Principle: Experiments in Art and Music 1965 to Now (2015), which told the story of a radical group of jazz artists from the South Side of Chicago; and Kerry James Marshall: Mastry (2016), a retrospective of the acclaimed Chicago-based artist that traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. From 2003 to 2011 Roelstraete was a curator at the Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen, where he organized large-scale group exhibitions as well as monographic shows.

“Dieter is one of the most creative and thoughtful curators at work today,” said Jonathan Lear, the Roman Family Director of the Neubauer Collegium. “His work exemplifies how artistic expression and humanistic research can meld together and support each other. I am looking forward to working with him, and I am eager to see how he’ll make use of the freedom our gallery affords.”

One of the Neubauer Collegium’s three key initiatives, alongside faculty-led collaborative research projects and a global visiting fellows program, the gallery presents both historical and contemporary art in support of the Neubauer Collegium’s mission to explore novel approaches to complex human questions. In its first two years of operation, the gallery has hosted 11 idea-driven exhibitions that reflect the productive interplay between visual arts practice and scholarly inquiry. Several shows have been curated as part of a campus-wide set of related exhibitions.

“After spending three years working on what is effectively the largest art exhibition in the world—a hugely complex and impossibly expansive affair—I am excited to start working in a much more concentrated, in-depth fashion. Curating in a beautiful, humanly sized space at the University of Chicago will both allow and require that,” Roelstraete said. “I am a long-standing advocate for the idea of art as a form of research and knowledge production, and I cannot think of a more welcoming home to further develop these intuitions in concert with the great minds that people the wilds of Hyde Park.”

In addition to joining the Neubauer Collegium, Roelstraete will co-teach a course this winter with acclaimed artist Assoc. Prof. William Pope.L. as Mellon Collaborative Fellow in Arts Practice and Scholarship at the Richard and Mary L. Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry. The course, titled “Art and Knowledge,” will extend their documenta 14 collaboration (also supported by the Gray Center) to explore the different types of knowledge art can produce. Roelstraete will pursue further teaching within the Department of Art History in the Humanities Division starting in the 2018-2019 academic year.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled by Dieter’s appointment. He joins an extraordinary group of internationally known curators working across the arts institutions at the University of Chicago,” said Alison Gass, the Dana Feitler Director of the Smart Museum of Art. “This hire will benefit UChicago Arts and further advance the University’s commitment to arts scholarship and practice and curatorial excellence.”

The exhibitions program at the Neubauer Collegium will continue to play a vital role in advancing UChicago Arts’ commitment to visual arts exhibition, alongside colleagues at the Arts and Public Life’s Arts Incubator, Booth School of Business’ Contemporary Art Collection, the University Library’s Special Collections Research Center, Logan Center Exhibitions, the Oriental Institute, the Renaissance Society and the Smart Museum of Art.

Roelstraete succeeds Jacob Proctor, the Neubauer Collegium’s inaugural curator, who is pursuing international opportunities from his new home base in New York City. “The gallery as it stands today is very much a reflection of Jacob’s extraordinary talent and vision,” Lear said. “He has given us a remarkable foundation on which Dieter can build.”

The Neubauer Collegium’s current exhibition, Terence Gower’s Havana Case Study, runs through Jan. 26. Roelstraete is conducting research for his first exhibition as curator, tentatively scheduled to open next spring.

Sharon Marine named vice president for alumni relations and development

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 09:11 -0500

Sharon Marine, who currently serves at Cornell University as vice president for development for Cornell Tech and associate vice president for alumni and development for the Northeast Corridor, has been appointed vice president for alumni relations and development at the University of Chicago, following a national search. Her appointment is effective Oct. 15, 2017.

At Cornell, Marine has been responsible for developing and maintaining donor relationships in support of faculty, students, program endowment and the construction of a new campus for Cornell Tech. During her tenure, Cornell Tech raised more than $415 million in new gifts and commitments, including three transformational gifts totaling $283 million. Sharon also played a key role in building Cornell Tech’s board of overseers, and she has been responsible for oversight and consolidation of the alumni engagement and fundraising strategy for Cornell University’s most important regional market.

At UChicago, Sharon will help set the overall strategy, direction and organization for development, alumni relations and campaign planning. She will collaborate with schools, units and divisions across campus.

“Sharon joins the University during the most ambitious and comprehensive campaign in our history. With two years remaining in the campaign, she will support efforts to advance the University's mission by encouraging the intellectual, social, professional and philanthropic engagement of all members of the University community,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “Sharon will work closely with me, as well as with the provost, deans, officers and the Board of Trustees, to maximize support for all areas of the institution.”

Before joining Cornell, Marine held positions at Stanford Graduate School of Business as associate dean for external relations and associate dean for development. There, she led a highly successful campaign that raised $884 million, far surpassing the school’s $500 million goal. Marine was director of development for the western region of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School from 1999 to 2004, and from 1992 to 1999, she served in fundraising roles at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

“The University of Chicago is where I started my career in higher education, so the opportunity to come back is very special,” said Marine. “I am thrilled to rejoin the University in the midst of a fundraising campaign that has achieved incredible momentum and I am excited for the opportunity to help sustain and build on that progress.”

Sharon holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from Brown University.

Garrett P. Kiely appointed to third term as director of University of Chicago Press

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 11:00 -0500

Garrett P. Kiely, a leader in academic publishing who has expanded and elevated the work of the University of Chicago Press, has been reappointed as its director. He will serve a third five-year term beginning Sept. 1.

Kiely will continue to lead the nation’s largest academic press, which publishes award-winning books and journals for both scholarly and general interest audiences. The Press also serves as the largest distributor of academic publications in the United States through its Chicago Distribution Center.

“Garrett’s leadership continues to be essential to the Press at a time of great change in publishing,” Provost Daniel Diermeier said. “In the face of such seismic shifts, Garrett has not only grown the work of the Press and extended its global reach, but fostered a closer connection to the University of Chicago and its faculty.”

The Press publishes more than 350 new books and 73 journals a year including such recent titles as the critically acclaimed Henry David Thoreau: A Life. Long a leading academic publisher in areas of the humanities and sciences, the Press has in recent years expanded its offerings in law and economics and continues to deepen its connection to the mission of the University through new publishing relationships with faculty as well as centers, institutes and labs. Such relationships include a book series with the UChicago-affiliated Marine Biological Laboratory titled Convening Science: Discovery at the Marine Biological Laboratory and KNOW: A Journal on the Formation of Knowledge, a new journal with the Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge.

“It is my great honor to work every day with the best people in publishing. Their passion, skill and expertise inspire me and are a reflection of the institution we represent. I appreciate the University’s support for its Press and I look forward to continuing and extending our tradition for excellence,” Kiely said.

In September, the Press will publish the 17th edition of its most famous title, The Chicago Manual of Style, in print and electronic versions. Under Kiely’s leadership, all new works appear simultaneously in print and digital editions, and the Press has expanded its print-on-demand program, which ensures titles are available around the world.

Kiely joined the Press in 2007 after more than 20 years at Palgrave Macmillan USA, a division of St. Martin’s Press, where he served as president, vice president of the Scholarly and Reference Division, and both sales and marketing director. He recently served as chair of a task force that developed a new membership structure for the Association of American University Presses.

Rika Mansueto, AB’91, elected to University of Chicago Board of Trustees

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 16:50 -0500

Rika Mansueto, AB’91, director of the Mansueto Foundation, has been elected to the University of Chicago Board of Trustees. She began her five-year term at the May 2017 board meeting.

“Rika is a distinguished and dedicated alumna who has provided meaningful support for intellectual life and activity at the University of Chicago,” said Board Chairman Joseph Neubauer, MBA’65. “We are delighted to welcome Rika to the Board, and look forward to benefitting from her knowledge and experience as she continues her deep commitment to the University as a Trustee.”

Mansueto currently is a member of the advisory board of Teach for America of Chicago-Northwest Indiana, and serves on the executive committee of the board of Francis W. Parker School. Previously she was an editor and stock analyst at Morningstar, Inc. As an undergraduate student in the College she studied anthropology.

Mansueto and her husband, Joe Mansueto, AB’78, MBA’80, have been generous supporters of the University of Chicago. Joe Mansueto is executive chairman of Morningstar. They live in Chicago with their three children.

“Rika has a long-standing connection to the University, a deep sense of the values of the University, and clear appreciation of the importance of bringing these values into all our efforts,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “I know because of these qualities, her intelligence and her excellent judgment, that she will be a wonderful addition to the Board of Trustees.”

A gift from the Mansuetos in 2016 established the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, which will bring together programs in the social, natural and computational sciences and in the humanities to enhance the University’s strengths in urban scholarship and education. In 2008, their gift helped support the construction of the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library, which has become a campus icon and an essential part of the University of Chicago Library since it opened in 2011.

Paul M. Rand named Vice President for Communications

Tue, 20 Jun 2017 09:45 -0500

Paul M. Rand, a senior communications executive who has founded and led successful public relations and digital agencies, has been named Vice President for Communications after a national search. His appointment is effective Aug. 1.

Rand held senior roles at leading communications firms before building two agencies of his own: Corporate Technology Communications, one of the nation’s largest independent public relations firms; and Zócalo Group, a full-service digital and social media agency. Based in Chicago, Zócalo Group has received numerous industry awards for its work. Rand is currently chairman of Critical Mass/Zócalo.

“The University benefits greatly from communications that foster engagement around our academic mission, in a global context where modes of communication are always changing,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “Paul is a highly regarded industry leader in digital communications and social media as well as traditional communications—areas that will enhance and extend the University’s current communications capabilities.”

Rand’s previous roles include serving as chief digital officer and chief growth and innovation officer at Ketchum, a global public relations firm, and as an executive vice president at Golin. He started his career at Burson-Marsteller in Chicago.

In addition to his professional roles, Rand is vice chairman of the Dean’s Advisory Board at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, where he was also an adjunct faculty in management. Rand also serves on the board of Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center, part of the Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing.

“I am very excited to join the extraordinary team at UChicago,” said Rand. “The University is making significant contributions on the global, national and Chicago stages, and I’m looking forward to helping share these inspiring stories.”

Rand holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a master’s degree in business administration and public policy from DePaul University. He is the author of Highly Recommended: Harnessing the Power of Social Media and Word of Mouth Marketing to Build Your Brand and Your Business.

Jeffrey Hubbell named inaugural Bell Professor in Tissue Engineering

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 14:00 -0500

Prof. Jeffrey Hubbell, a biomaterials scientist and entrepreneur, has been named the inaugural Eugene Bell Professor in Tissue Engineering at the University of Chicago.

The Bell Professorship was created to promote innovative work at UChicago’s Institute for Molecular Engineering and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass. Hubbell was serving as the Barry L. MacLean Professor of Molecular Engineering Innovation and Enterprise at the University.

“Jeff Hubbell is a pioneering researcher and early entrepreneur in the field of tissue engineering,” said Matthew Tirrell, the Pritzker Director of IME and deputy laboratory director for science at Argonne National Laboratory. “His 2005 paper on synthetic microenvironments for tissue engineering has been cited thousands of times, and he has trained dozens of other leaders in the field in his laboratory. This year, the Society for Biomaterials endowed him with their highest honor, the Founders Award.”

The Bell Professorship, which is supported by a $3.5 million donation from the Millicent and Eugene Bell Foundation, was created to foster scholarship on tissue engineering at MBL and IME, where scientists are focused on exploring innovative technology at the molecular scale, with the potential for societal impact in areas including health care, computing, energy and the environment. The gift was made in memory of Eugene Bell, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and member of the MBL scientific community, who founded the field of tissue engineering through efforts to generate replacement tissue for treating severe burns and other injuries.

“It is a tremendous honor to follow in the footsteps of Eugene Bell, who through application of discoveries in cell biology and innovations in biomaterials science launched the field of tissue engineering with his work on engineered skin and blood vessels,” Hubbell said.

Hubbell joined UChicago in 2014 after serving as the Merck-Serono Chair in Drug Delivery at Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, where he also was founding director of the Institute of Bioengineering. He has served on the faculty of the University of Texas and California Institute of Technology.

In his new appointment, Hubbell will continue to be based at IME. He will direct a research project at the MBL’s Eugene Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering and hold a faculty appointment there.

"We are incredibly excited that Jeff will be joining us on a more regular basis,” said David Mark Welch, interim director of MBL Division of Research. “He has already started several collaborative projects that leverage his expertise in tissue engineering with the unique marine models available at the MBL.”

In his research in tissue engineering, Hubbell designs materials to guide processes of morphogenesis through engineering of extracellular matrix molecules and growth factors, to create implants that are drug-like in their function. He and his team are also developing molecular- and materials-engineering approaches in immunotherapy, including focusing vaccination on infectious disease and cancer.

Hubbell has co-founded five companies, three of which are based on or related to research he directs at his UChicago laboratory. Most recently, Hubbell and Cathy Nagler, the Bunning Food Allergy Professor at UChicago, worked with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and the Institute for Translational Medicine to found ClostraBio, a UChicago startup that is developing treatments for food allergies. Other companies include Kuros Biosciences, which develops growth factor engineering and biomaterials technology for surgical sealants and tissue repair agents, and QGel, which develops biomaterials matrices for cell culture in drug discovery.

University announces appointments to leadership roles

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 14:10 -0500

The University of Chicago is announcing new appointments to leadership roles with responsibilities in areas that support the University’s academic mission and provide oversight for key priorities.

President Robert J. Zimmer made three appointments of Vice Presidents, and Provost Daniel Diermeier announced four additional new appointments in the Office of the Provost. All of the appointments are effective July 1. They all represent new roles for individuals who are already part of the UChicago community, and who bring deep experience to important issues that come before the University.

Darren Reisberg, Vice President and Secretary of the University since 2014, will be the Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Deputy Provost. In his new role, Reisberg will provide oversight for the operation and budget of the Office of the Provost; for several academic centers and initiatives including UChicago Urban and the Urban Education Institute; for regulatory and compliance matters under the purview of the Provost’s Office; and for faculty governance. As a Vice President, Reisberg will continue to oversee certain strategic initiatives in the President’s Office, including leadership development across the University.

Katie Callow-Wright, currently Vice President and Chief of Staff, will succeed Darren Reisberg as Vice President and Secretary of the University. As Secretary, Callow-Wright will be the senior officer with direct responsibility for oversight and facilitation of governance practices at the University. She will work closely with President Zimmer to manage all activities related to the Board of Trustees, providing direct support and counsel to the President and the Trustees. She will help guide the support work for other boards, such as the Medical Center Board of Trustees and the Board of the Marine Biological Laboratory. The strategic coordination of governing activities involving national laboratories and the boards of other affiliates will also be a key aspect of her role. Callow-Wright’s responsibilities will include oversight for the Office of University Events and Ceremonies, and she will continue as Chief of Staff in the Office of the President.

Bala Srinivasan, currently the Associate Provost for International and Strategic Initiatives and Senior Advisor to the President, will become Vice President for Global Initiatives and Strategy and Senior Associate Provost. This change reflects the increasing responsibility Srinivasan has assumed within the Office of the President since he joined it in July 2016, the contributions he has made and the importance of the University’s global efforts. As Vice President, Srinivasan will now also serve as an officer of the University. In the Office of the Provost, one of his key responsibilities will be to work with faculty, deans and University administration to build academic partnerships and research collaborations with international partners, create global educational opportunities and strengthen the University’s connections to foreign institutional partners, policymakers and civic leaders.

David Nirenberg, currently Dean of the Division of Social Sciences, will become Executive Vice Provost. His responsibilities will include greater strategic, budgetary and administrative coordination, especially among the Divisions and the College. In this role, Nirenberg will work closely with the deans of the divisions and the College, and will continue to build upon cross-divisional efforts such as UChicagoGRAD. Nirenberg, the Deborah R. and Edgar D. Jannotta Distinguished Service Professor of Medieval History and Social Thought, was the founding Director of the Neubauer Collegium before becoming Dean of the Division of Social Sciences. He holds an academic appointment in the College and five academic appointments across the Social Sciences and Humanities Divisions: in the John U. Nef Committee on Social Thought, Department of History, Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and Center for Jewish Studies.

Michael Hopkins will join the Office of the Provost as Vice Provost for Strategic Planning. He will lead the area of academic space allocation, and working with other faculty and administrative leaders will be the Provost’s Office representative in space planning, innovation and environmental sustainability. Hopkins is currently Deputy Dean of the Physical Sciences Division. In that role he assists Dean Rocky Kolb with strategic planning and overseeing the division’s undergraduate and graduate education programs. He is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry, serving as chair from 2003-09.

Bridget Le Loup Collier will serve as Associate Provost and Director of the Office for Equal Opportunity Programs. Collier has served as interim Associate Provost since Jan. 24. She joined the University in May 2015 as Dean of Students and Senior Director of Student Engagement at the Graham School, where she provided innovative and strategic leadership for a variety of programs in service to students. Collier is the founder and chair of the Chicagoland Title IX Consortium, an organization of more than 40 higher education institutions that seeks to enhance knowledge, understanding and application of Title IX policies and resources to advance gender parity and reduce sexual misconduct.

Jason Merchant will become Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in Winter Quarter 2018, succeeding Ronald Thisted, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Professor in the Departments of Public Health Sciences, Statistics, and Anesthesia & Critical Care, and in the College, who will step down at the end of February 2018. As Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Merchant will work with the deans and chairs on faculty appointments, promotions, recruitments, and retentions. Merchant is the Lorna Puttkammer Straus Professor in the Department of Linguistics, and in the College. He served as Deputy Dean of the Division of the Humanities from 2013-16.

Tanika Island Childress named CEO of the UChicago Charter School

Wed, 31 May 2017 16:04 -0500

Tanika Island Childress, a nationally distinguished educator and veteran leader at the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute, has been named CEO of the University of Chicago Charter School.

Island Childress will apply her wide-ranging expertise from more than two decades of teaching and leading to continuing the development of UChicago Charter as a model for fostering greater equity and excellence in urban education.

The appointment builds on Island Childress’s 16-year career at the Urban Education Institute, where she most recently served as director of the UChicago Urban Teacher Education Program. Earlier in her career, Island Childress served as the UChicago Charter School’s chief academic officer and director of the UChicago Charter North Kenwood/Oakland Campus, one of the highest-performing non-selective elementary schools in the city of Chicago.

During her tenure as director of the North Kenwood/Oakland Campus, Island Childress was recognized with a Community School Leadership Award in 2012 from the Federation of Community Schools and a Principal Achievement Award from the city of Chicago in 2013. She also has been recognized as a national leader in non-cognitive and academic development, serving as a member of the Aspen Institute’s Council of Distinguished Educators on Social, Emotional and Academic Development.

“I have big ambitions for UChicago Charter School students, which begin and end with my belief in their ability to learn, grow and succeed,” Island Childress said. “I hope to change the lives of many Chicago students by building on the UChicago Charter School’s strong culture of belief in students’ capabilities, and tradition of teacher learning and accountability grounded in research and data.”

Prior to joining UEI, Island Childress was an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University’s Teaching Practicum and Field Experience Seminar. From 1997 to 2001, Island Childress was also the fourth-grade team leader for the Martin L. King Experimental Laboratory School in Evanston, Ill., where she took on the roles of Language Arts District Representative, School Literacy Committee member, Teachers as Readers Committee member and Sisterhood Project mentor.

“We are so fortunate to have Tanika’s depth of expertise at the helm of UChicago Charter School,” said Sian Beilock, executive vice provost of the University of Chicago and UChicago Charter School interim governing board chair. “Her vision, commitment and compassion will ensure we continue to help students across the South Side of Chicago realize their potential and achieve their goals, in school and in life.”

Island Childress’s appointment is part of UEI’s ambitious plan to improve schooling nationwide by conducting rigorous applied research, training exemplary teachers, operating a high-achieving public school, and designing school improvement tools and training for thousands of schools and classrooms across the United States.

The PreK-12 UChicago Charter School is designed to cultivate culturally aware critical thinkers and leaders, and prepare all of its students for college acceptance and graduation.

Its elementary model was recently the subject of a multi-year study that showed UChicago Charter is effectively addressing educational inequality and closing the achievement gap that has persisted between students of different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. The study’s findings were published this year in the book The Ambitious Elementary School. UChicago Charter’s Woodlawn campus received a Level 1 school quality rating from the Chicago Public Schools district last year and will open a new high school facility next year with state-of-the-art engineering science labs, a media arts space and a college resource center.

Island Childress has been serving as the interim CEO of the UChicago Charter School since February and will continue developing UChicago Charter as a model of excellence in fostering high school achievement, college attainment and young adult success.

“Tanika brings a unique lens and extremely rare combination of experiences to her new role,” said Sara Ray Stoelinga, the Sara Liston Spurlark Director of UEI. “As the former director of UChicago’s Urban Teacher Education Program, she has deep expertise in what it takes to train and retain high quality teachers within some of the nation’s most distressed communities and challenging classroom environments. She also has a wealth of experience in working directly with UChicago Charter School leaders, teachers, students and families. She is a highly respected and visionary leader who has changed—and will continue to change—students’ educational and life trajectories for the better.”

Island Childress received her bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in psychology from National Louis University in Chicago. She also earned a master’s degree in literacy education from Loyola University and received a leadership fellowship through the Urban Education Institute.

Ivan Samstein joins University as vice president and chief financial officer

Wed, 03 May 2017 11:00 -0500

Ivan Samstein, the current chief financial officer for Cook County and a longtime leader in public finance, has been appointed vice president and chief financial officer for the University of Chicago, following a national search. His appointment is effective June 26.

As CFO for Cook County, Samstein has had primary responsibility for the budget, capital and debt structure for the second-largest county government and associated health system in the country. During Samstein’s tenure, he has successfully designed and led several transformative projects in financial operations, technology, program-based budgeting and performance metric-driven management. He previously held positions as an investment banker and a financial analyst.

At UChicago, Samstein will help lead integrated strategic financial planning and provide oversight for the execution of the University’s work in financial analysis and functions, information technology and human resources.

“Ivan will work to ensure that ongoing analysis, discipline and appropriate organization best support and serve the ambitious academic mission and priorities of the University,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “He will work closely with the provost and me, as well as with deans, officers and the board of trustees.”

Before he joined Cook County in 2012, Samstein was a director in the public finance department at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he served as lead banker on a large portfolio of fixed-income securities from 2004-11. As assistant vice president in public finance for Moody’s Investors Service from 1999-2004, he evaluated fiscal, debt, budgetary, and risk management policies and procedures of municipalities across the Midwest.

“The University of Chicago is not only one of the world’s leading academic institutions, but is also an anchor for the greater Chicago economy and has an active commitment to that role. That is one of the things that attracted me to this position,” Samstein said. “I look forward to taking on this exciting new challenge and continuing to build out the University’s financial administrative function.”

Samstein holds a bachelor of arts in economics, magna cum laude, from Hunter College of the City University of New York, and he earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Bridget Le Loup Collier appointed interim associate provost, overseeing Title IX compliance

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 16:05 -0600

Bridget Le Loup Collier has been appointed to serve as interim associate provost and director of the Office for Equal Opportunity Programs, with duties including oversight of Title IX compliance.

Collier will take on the new position on Jan. 24, when current Title IX Coordinator Sarah Wake will depart for a new role as associate general counsel at Northwestern University.

As dean of students and senior director of student engagement at the Graham School for Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies, Collier has overseen the support of diverse student enrollments and enhanced the experience of students through coordination of support services and staff development. Her duties included ensuring the school’s compliance with state and federal requirements including Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Provost Daniel Diermeier said Collier will provide leadership on issues of sexual misconduct and equal opportunity as the University begins a national search for a permanent associate provost.

“In recent years the University has made important strides in advancing our ongoing commitment to addressing issues related to sexual misconduct,” Diermeier said. “Bridget brings over 16 years of higher education administrative experience in program improvement, crisis response and student development. I am grateful that she has agreed to help continue our progress on these issues.”

Before joining UChicago in May of 2015, Collier served as chief of staff to the president and Title IX coordinator at Roosevelt University, managing compliance at an institution with more than 5,000 students. She is the founder and chair of the Chicagoland Title IX Consortium, an organization of 35 higher education institutions that seeks to enhance knowledge, understanding and application of Title IX policies and resources to advance gender parity and reduce sexual misconduct.

“The purpose of this role is to uphold the University’s standards of excellence so all members of our community can reach their full potential in an environment free of discrimination, sexual misconduct or harassment,” Collier said. “Sarah Wake has brought people together around these issues in a community-driven way, and I will strive to continue that effective approach.”

Collier holds a master’s of education in counseling and student affairs from Northern Arizona University and a doctorate in education and higher education administration from the University of Southern California. In her interim role, she has responsibility for coordinating University-wide compliance with UChicago’s Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct, with oversight of investigations performed under that policy, including Title IX investigations. She also will oversee the University’s compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and will serve as equal opportunity coordinator and affirmative action officer, coordinating outreach to veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Diermeier thanked Wake for her leadership as Title IX coordinator, noting that she was “instrumental in strengthening University policy and leading a number of compliance improvements.” Among many advances during her tenure, the office has formed a student advisory board for sexual misconduct and has worked closely with advocacy groups and other stakeholders. Under Wake’s guidance the office also implemented mandatory sexual misconduct training for the entire UChicago community.

Alison Gass appointed Dana Feitler Director of Smart Museum of Art

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 09:41 -0600

Alison Gass, a leading curator of contemporary art and a senior leader at university museums, has been appointed the director of the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art.

Gass will serve as the Dana Feitler Director of the Smart Museum starting May 1, leading the University’s fine arts museum and its thought-provoking exhibitions, distinctive public and arts education programs, varied collaborations with students and faculty, and exquisite collection of more than 15,000 objects.

Gass has been the chief curator and associate director for exhibitions and collections at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University since 2014. Prior to that, she was a member of the leadership team that opened the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University, including serving as the museum’s acting director.

“Ali is an accomplished curator with a strong understanding of the impact a university museum has on campus and in the broader community. Her appointment is essential to growing the arts at the University of Chicago and expanding their role in scholarship and public life,” Provost Daniel Diermeier said.

“I am excited by the University’s commitment to visual arts, interdisciplinary exploration and community engagement,” Gass said. “I look forward to shaping what it means to be a great art museum at a top research university, while helping to define the role of the Smart in the constellation of world-class art museums in Chicago and beyond.”

Gass has curated major exhibitions at the Cantor Arts Center, Broad Art Museum and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She was featured in a 2010 New York Times article highlighting “the new guard of curators,” and is a fellow this year at the Center for Curatorial Leadership. Gass has taught at institutions including the California College of the Arts and the City College of New York.

At the Cantor Arts Center, Gass led the development of an academically engaged exhibitions program, overseeing a re-installation of the museum’s permanent collection. She also organized a major public commission and exhibition project with Trevor Paglen set for later this month. While at the Broad Art Museum, Gass helped establish a global contemporary art program featuring Imran Qureshi, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Hope Gangloff, Teresita Fernandez, Sharon Hayes and others.

“Ali brings a global outlook and strong passion for art and learning to the Smart and its diverse and interesting collection. I look forward to seeing her elevate the museum and expand its impact at the University and in the community,” said Pamela Hoehn-Saric, MAT’81, chair of the Smart Museum’s Board of Governors.

While Gass has focused on contemporary art as a curator, her approach is rooted in putting art into context and viewing works through the lens of history. Gass traces her interest in curation to the first art history class she took as an undergraduate at Columbia University. In exhibitions, Gass said she focuses on making art feel vital to people’s perspectives on their place in the world. That includes pioneering a residency for artists at the Broad Art Museum focused on land, food, water and energy that connected to Michigan State University’s history as a land grant university and the continued role of agricultural studies.

“Beyond her impeccable taste and daring talent-scouting as a contemporary art curator, Ali Gass understands university art museums and their unique strength to draw on cutting-edge thinking and research done by students and faculty,” said Prof. Christine Mehring, chair of UChicago’s Department of Art History. “She will take the Smart—along with the visual arts that are now bubbling everywhere at the University—into an ambitious future.”

Gass earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia and holds a graduate degree in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. She began her curatorial career at the Jewish Museum in New York City, then became an assistant curator at SFMOMA. While there, Gass curated the New Work series and a Paul Klee Cubism exhibition.

Sarah Wake appointed Title IX Coordinator for University

Fri, 12 Feb 2016 14:32 -0600

By the end of Sarah Wake’s first week on the job in October as assistant provost and the University’s new Title IX Coordinator, she was already leading trainings on issues in sexual harassment.

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics had requested help to prevent problems that departments elsewhere have encountered. Faculty members, graduate students and a few undergraduates engaged deeply in a question-and-answer session. The training reaffirms the University’s commitment to a workplace free of harassment and discrimination, and addresses University employees’ responsibility to report sexual misconduct. Wake outlines what to do if you are an observer and what to do if you are a victim.

“Faculty and students are thirsty for this,” Wake said. “I want them to come talk to me about any aspect of Title IX. To have a campus free from discrimination and sexual harassment, we have to have a dialogue.”

As the University’s director of equal opportunity programs, Wake has primary responsibility for ensuring that the University is in compliance with federal laws regarding sexual misconduct.

That task has three major components, Wake said:

Wake oversees the effective response to instances of Title IX violations, ensuring that the University’s policies and procedures allow her office to react in a way that complies with the law and serves the campus community.
Equally important, she is leading the design of training programs to build a proactive culture on Title IX issues, ideally preventing problems before they occur.
Her ultimate goal is for the University to be a national leader in responding to and preventing sexual misconduct and related issues, and to serve as a resource for other institutions, including outreach to schools in the broader Chicago community.

“Most schools are taking steps to prevent violations and respond to them, but what makes this university different is that we could be in a position to take a leadership role,” Wake said. “I’m excited to be part of a great team at UChicago that is deeply committed to these issues.”

The scope of Title IX means that Wake helps address issues ranging from recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty to ensuring a welcoming climate while respecting free speech, and coordinating policy and programs related to gender equity. Her position in the Office of the Provost means that she helps address these issues across the University, with a focus on complaints related to University faculty, other academic employees, or staff. She also works in concert with other University staff members who focus on specific areas of sexual misconduct.

While many people know Title IX relates to sports equity and responding to student-student sexual assault, they may be less familiar with other aspects of the federal law. Since she arrived, Wake has led two to three training sessions a week, mostly for departments, and has met with more than 300 members of the University community.

Wake’s approach to the training session in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics was “perfect,” said Angela Olinto, the Homer J. Livingston Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics and current chair of the department. “She was very practical in responding to the questions we had.”

Longstanding interest in civil rights

As a college student at Loyola University in Chicago, Wake interned with the Cook County Victim Assistance Unit, preparing sexual assault survivors to attend trials and, when necessary, testify. After law school at the University of Notre Dame, she joined McGuireWoods LLP as an employment litigator, where she worked for nearly seven years. Her work focused on harassment, discrimination, and retaliation including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the Equal Pay Act.

For two years before she came to UChicago, Wake served as the Director of the Office of Institutional Equity and the Title IX Coordinator at Notre Dame. She said that experience gave her valuable insight into building effective training and response programs, as well as working with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to ensure compliance with the law. She also served as the chief of staff to the Vice President for Research at Notre Dame, where she focused on developing diversity and inclusion.

In addition to her professional experience, Wake did published research as a law student on issues of sexual assault in the prison system. Her life experiences have also given her a close-up look at the psychological impact of discrimination.

“You feel like you don’t belong,” she said. “Sometimes you wonder if you’re making it up. You’re wondering if you did something to contribute to it.” Wake wants everyone, especially students, to know she welcomes their thoughts and input. “There is nothing more important to me than ensuring students’ academic experience here is a positive one.”

Several new members join Fermilab board of directors

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 11:30 -0600

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, the leading institution for particle physics research in the United States and one of the leading such institutions in the world. For decades, work at Fermilab has led to fundamental discoveries about the elementary building blocks of the universe and likewise about the evolution of the universe. Planning is now underway for Fermilab to build a major facility for the study of neutrinos, one of the most mysterious particles in the universe, enabling it to launch the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment.

Since the start of 2015, Fermi Research Alliance LLC, a partnership between the University of Chicago and Universities Research Association, has appointed several distinguished new members to its board of directors. Members of the board serve as ambassadors and advisers in support of Fermilab’s ambitious research agenda and play a leading role in the advancement of scientific objectives.

“We are very pleased to welcome these distinguished leaders to the board of directors,” said President Robert J. Zimmer, who chairs the Fermilab board. “Their collective expertise and accomplishments will help to facilitate the lab’s work as a leader in fundamental scientific discovery.”

The newest members of the board are:

Sam Pitroda, former adviser to the prime minister of India on public information, infrastructure and innovation
Steven M. Ritz, professor of physics and director of the Santa Cruz Institute for Particle Physics, University of California, Santa Cruz
Maxine Savitz, vice-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
F. Quinn Stepan, chairman of Stepan Company
John Womersley, chief executive officer of the Science and Technology Facilities Council

Members that will join in January 2016 are:

Kate Gregory, (rear admiral of the U.S. Navy, ret.), former commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Command and chief of civil engineers
Rolf-Dieter Heuer, president-elect of the German Physical Society and director-general of CERN, 2009-15

“It is a privilege to be working for such an esteemed group,” said Fermilab Director Nigel Lockyer. “Their engagement reflects well on our laboratory's past achievements and bodes well for our future successes.”

Fermi Research Alliance LLC, the operator of Fermilab for the U.S. Department of Energy, announced in August 2014 that it would restructure its board to better support the laboratory and advance Fermilab’s position as a global leader in high-energy physics—neutrino science in particular. These new members will serve three-year terms as members of the board of directors, which will eventually include up to 15 global business, academic and public leaders.

“This is an exciting time for particle physics in the United States and abroad. Fermilab has all the right ingredients to continue to make important discoveries about our world, train the next generation of scientists and develop cutting-edge technologies that drive innovation and grow the economy. The new board will help us in this endeavor,” said Lou Anna K. Simon, vice chair of the Fermi Research Alliance and president of Michigan State University.

Liz Thompson appointed chair of University of Chicago Charter School board

Thu, 27 Aug 2015 10:15 -0500

University of Chicago Trustee Liz Thompson has been appointed governing board chair of the University of Chicago Charter School.

As chair, Thompson will lead the UChicago Charter School’s 21-member governing board, which oversees the school’s four South Side campuses. Her appointment was effective Aug. 20.

“The University of Chicago Charter School is an important resource for our nearby neighborhoods, with educational outcomes and college acceptance rates that have made it a national model of urban school success,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “Liz Thompson brings an exemplary background in youth development and education issues, and she has the skill to work with the school leadership to help advance the ambitious vision for the Charter School.”

Thompson has served on the governing board since 2010. The board includes faculty and leaders from the University of Chicago and the Urban Education Institute, parents from each of the school’s campuses, and community, business and philanthropic leaders.

“I’m honored to have this opportunity to help guide the progress of a school that is delivering such impressive results for its students and is so committed to ensuring that every one of them not only earns a college degree, but becomes a critical thinker and leader in the process,” Thompson said. “The work the UChicago Charter School is doing is rewarding for me personally, but it’s also meaningful for the entirety of the South Side, and for what we want to accomplish for urban schools nationwide.”

Thompson brings to the role extensive experience in nonprofit organizations and expertise in youth development and education. In 1993, she was named founding executive director of City Year Chicago, the local chapter of a national service organization that served as a template for the AmeriCorps Program. She then led Family Star in Denver, Colo., one of the only Early Head Start Montessori programs in the nation. Thompson served on several local boards in Denver and San Diego, Calif., where she developed a greater understanding of youth and education issues and expanded her philanthropic activities. Prior to her work with nonprofits, she spent ten years with Ameritech Corporation.

“Liz is as inspirational as she is impressive,” said Sara Ray Stoelinga, the Sara Liston Spurlark Director of the Urban Education Institute. “She connects with our students and staff in a way that energizes us to work harder, and she brings to the governing board the kind of perspective, expertise and vision that will drive us forward. We are so fortunate to have someone of her stature as our partner in our work, on behalf of the 1,900 students at the Charter School.”

Thompson is a member of the University of Chicago Board of Trustees and its Women’s Board, is a director for the Museum of Science and Industry, and serves as co-chair of Purdue University’s Minority Engineering Program Advisory Panel. She is an alumna of the Non-Profit Leadership Program of Denver and the Leadership Greater Chicago Program, where she is also a member of the board of directors.

She lives outside Chicago with her husband, Donald Thompson, and their two children. She holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University.

Thompson succeeds Margot Pritzker, who has led the governing board since 2011. During Pritzker’s leadership of the board, UChicago Charter School has made marked progress toward its goal of 100 percent college graduation for its students, achieving four consecutive years of 100 percent college acceptance, as well as a college persistence rate that is second among all high schools in the Chicago area. Pritzker also has spearheaded a successful fundraising effort to build a new campus for the Charter School’s Woodlawn secondary program, which is expected to break ground in 2016.

University of Chicago names Fountain L. Walker chief of police

Thu, 13 Aug 2015 11:20 -0500

Fountain L. Walker, an accomplished and widely respected leader in law enforcement and campus security, has been named chief of police at the University of Chicago after a national search, effective Aug. 17.

Walker will oversee the day-to-day operations of the University of Chicago Police Department, including supervision of the department’s approximately 100 state-certified police officers. He also will be responsible for operational enhancements and security technology, as well as support for training and development opportunities for police officers.

“Through his exemplary performance as a UCPD leader, Fountain Walker has demonstrated his commitment to maintaining close and collaborative relationships with the University community and our neighbors,” said Rowan Miranda, vice president for operations and chief financial officer. “He has earned the respect of his peers and the communities we serve, and I know he will excel in his important new role.”

Since 2014, Walker has served as the assistant chief of police and executive director of protective services for UCPD, overseeing safety- and security-related functions at the University’s Laboratory Schools and Charter School. He also has been instrumental in working on global security initiatives and the coordination of security for high-profile events on campus.

“I am excited to continue working with a dynamic group of individuals who work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of everyone we serve,” said Walker. “I also look forward to continuing to build on the relationships I have been able to establish here at the University of Chicago.”

As chief of police, Walker will report to Marlon Lynch, associate vice president for Safety, Security and Civic Affairs, who served as chief of police since 2009. Lynch’s expanded new role includes oversight of risk management and loss prevention for the University’s insured properties; oversight and leadership of the Department of Safety and Security, which encompasses UCPD, environmental health and safety, transportation and parking, and emergency management; and the advancement of strategic civic initiatives, in collaboration with leadership in the Office of Civic Engagement.

“Marlon has been instrumental in restructuring the UCPD to be even more responsive, effective and engaged with the communities the force serves,” Miranda said. “He also has helped to recruit other talented leaders such as Fountain. With their leadership, the University will continue its strong commitment to ensuring that residents of our community have a secure environment in which to live and work.”

Before joining the UCPD, Walker served as police chief at Davidson College in North Carolina, and served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1986 to 1994. He graduated from Gardner-Webb University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

Cole W. Camplese named Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:40 -0500

Cole W. Camplese, an accomplished leader in information and academic technology, has been appointed Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer for the University of Chicago.

Since 2013, Camplese has served as Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for Stony Brook University in New York. Prior to joining Stony Brook, he spent 15 years at Penn State University, where he served in a variety of roles, including Senior Director for Teaching and Learning and Director of Education Technology Services.

“At a time when technology is rapidly changing how universities do their work, we are very excited to have Cole join our leadership team,” said Rowan Miranda, Vice President for Operations and Chief Financial Officer. “He brings a proven track record of implementing IT-enabled systems and processes for leading research universities.”

At UChicago, Camplese will lead collaborative efforts to modernize IT assets, processes, organizational structures and the security environment as the University makes strides to improve the delivery of technology services to students, faculty and the research community.

“I am excited by the level of energy and direction at the University of Chicago,” said Camplese. “It is an exciting time to work in higher education because technology is reshaping how faculty teach and conduct research as well as how students learn.”

Camplese holds a BA in psychology from West Virginia University and an MS in instructional technology from Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania.

Camplese’s appointment is effective Sept. 14.

Yesomi Umolu to lead Logan Center Exhibitions

Tue, 14 Jul 2015 12:20 -0500

After an international search, the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago has appointed Yesomi Umolu as the Logan Center Exhibitions Curator. Umolu will begin on Aug. 3.

In her new role, Umolu will oversee exhibitions in the Logan Center Gallery and other spaces throughout the multidisciplinary arts building. She will also work closely with students and faculty in the Departments of Visual Art and Art History, as well as colleagues from across the University and the city, to develop innovative programs.

“In Yesomi, we have found a curator who will advance the adventurous, collaborative and inquisitive approach that has characterized Logan Center Exhibitions since its founding,” said Bill Michel, executive director of the Logan Center. “I look forward to experiencing the inspiring and thought-provoking work she will bring to the Logan Center in the years ahead.”

In its first three years, Logan Center Exhibitions has hosted more than 20 exhibitions featuring the works of Ricardo Busbaum, David Schutter, and Brian Jungen and Duane Linklater, among many others. Previous shows include Szalon, AFRICOBRA: Philosophy, Diasporal Rhythms: A Ten Year Love Affair with Collecting Art of the African Diaspora and Yang Fudong: East of Que Village, as well as annual exhibitions of the work of Arts + Public Life and Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture artists-in-residence.

“I look forward to continuing the ethos of experimentation and critical discourse around contemporary art and culture that the Logan Center Exhibitions program has established,” Umolu said. “I am thrilled at the prospect of collaborating with artists, scholars and community members who contribute so greatly to the Logan Center’s vibrant presence on campus and in the broader South Side cultural corridor.”

Umolu’s appointment comes at a time of growth for contemporary art on campus. Recent additions to the scene—among them the Arts Incubator, the Chicago Booth Art Collection, the Gray Center Lab and Neubauer Collegium Exhibitions—have joined established institutions like the Smart Museum of Art and the Renaissance Society, creating new opportunities for students, faculty and community members to experience new work.

“I am excited to welcome Yesomi to the University of Chicago,” said Jessica Stockholder, the Raymond W. and Martha Hilpert Gruner Distinguished Service Professor and chair of the Department of Visual Arts. “Her experience and interests are international in scope, and her passion for the visual arts will contribute to the lively culture of the arts here on campus. I’m looking forward to working with her.”

Previous Work

Prior to her appointment at UChicago, Umolu was assistant curator at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at Michigan State University, where she organized exhibitions, commissions and public programs focusing on global contemporary art.

She recently curated John Akomfrah: Imaginary Possessions (2014), the first U.S. museum exhibition dedicated exclusively to the recent work of British-Ghanaian filmmaker John Akomfrah.

Her other curatorial projects at the Broad MSU include Focus: Pao Houa Her (2015); The Land Grant: Forest Law (2014), a newly commissioned research and film project by Ursula Biemann and Paulo Tavares; and Revelations: Examining Democracy (2013), featuring works from the Broad MSU collection. She was coordinating curator for the Broad MSU presentation of MCA Denver’s Postscript: Writing After Conceptual Art (2013) and SFMOMA’s Lebbeus Woods, Architect (2013). She has also supported exhibitions of works by Mithu Sen, Trevor Paglen and Jessica Jackson Hutchins, among others.

Umolu was previously Curatorial Fellow for Visual Arts at Minneapolis’ Walker Art Center, where she curated Karen Mirza and Brad Butler’s first U.S. museum solo show The Museum of Non Participation: The New Deal (2013). She also worked on numerous solo and group exhibitions including Abraham Cruzvillegas: The Autoconstrucción Suites (2013), Minouk Lim: Heat of Shadows (2012), The Living Years: Art after 1989 (2012) and Lifelike (2012).

Prior to joining the Walker, Umolu held curatorial positions at the European biennial of contemporary Art Manifesta 8, in the region of Murcia, Spain, and the Serpentine Gallery in London. She has also contributed to programming at the Institute of International Visual Arts and Tate Modern, London.

She has been a visiting lecturer, critic and speaker at a number of international universities including Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills; University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London; Goldsmiths, University of London; Jagiellonian University, Krakow; and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, among others.

Her writing has appeared in numerous catalogues and journals, including ;Art in America and Afterimage: The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism.

Umolu received an MA with honors in Architectural Design from the University of Edinburgh and an MA with Distinction in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art, London.

Three the Hard Way, a group exhibition featuring the works of the University of Chicago’s 2014/2015 Arts + Public Life and Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture artists-in-residence Ayana Contreras, James T. Green and David Leggett opened July 10. For more information on upcoming exhibitions, visit the Logan Center Exhibitions website.

John Longbrake appointed Vice President for Communications

Tue, 07 Jul 2015 12:39 -0500

John Longbrake, an accomplished leader in higher education communications, has been appointed Vice President for Communications after a national search. His appointment is effective Aug. 24.

Since 2012, Longbrake has served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs and Communications at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also has held communications leadership roles at Harvard University, Yale University and the U.S. Treasury Department.

At the University of Chicago, Longbrake will lead the development of strategic communications in support of academic programs, University initiatives and institutional priorities. This will include collaboration on communications with units across the University, and direct oversight of the Office of Communications.

“Effective communications are vital to sustain the momentum of the University’s academic initiatives around the world, and for continuing engagement with the University of Chicago community,” said President Robert J. Zimmer. “John has developed valuable insights on these efforts through his broad leadership experience in higher education, governmental affairs and public policy.”

Longbrake said he is looking forward to leading the University’s communications at a time of academic opportunity and institutional momentum.

“One of the things I find so exciting about the University of Chicago is that it is constantly pushing forward. There is a great deal of ambition to address big questions that affect lives around the world, but the University is also deeply engaged in making a difference in Chicago and the local community,” Longbrake said. “I am eager to meet with the faculty, students and staff here, and to help them tell that extremely compelling story.”

At UC Santa Barbara, Longbrake served as chief communications officer, with oversight of a university-wide communications structure including media relations, emergency communications, branding and social media. He developed and implemented the university’s first digital communications strategy.

Longbrake moved to UC Santa Barbara from Harvard, where he was Assistant Vice President for Communications, managing the university’s central communications functions. In more than seven years at Harvard, he coordinated communications about major university initiatives and served as a primary spokesperson for university leadership. He came to Harvard from Yale, where he was Assistant Director of Public Affairs and Assistant Secretary for International Affairs.

Prior to his time at Yale, Longbrake worked in Washington, D.C., in various communications and policy roles, including serving as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Treasury, where he coordinated communications for senior Treasury officials. He also worked in the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses and the U.S. Congress’ Office of Technology Assessment.

“John emerged from a pool of impressive candidates as the one most clearly able to further develop our communication capabilities,” said David Fithian, Executive Vice President, who led the search. “His deep and broad experience, combined with his demonstrated good judgment, collegiality, and ability to align with institutional needs and values will clearly serve us well."

Longbrake graduated from Vassar College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He will move to Chicago this summer with his wife and their three sons.

Longbrake will succeed Julie Peterson, who left UChicago at the end of June to form a private consultancy business, after eight years at the University.

Neil Guterman reappointed as dean of the School of Social Service Administration

Tue, 26 May 2015 13:49 -0500

Neil Guterman, the Mose and Sylvia Firestone Professor at the School of Social Service Administration, has been reappointed as dean, President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Eric D. Isaacs announced. His second five-year term will begin July 1.

Guterman is an internationally recognized expert on issues related to child abuse and violence prevention. As dean, he has developed new initiatives in global social welfare and urban research and practice. He recruited new faculty representing multiple areas of expertise, including several with international social welfare experience, and established new educational exchange programs in India, China and Hong Kong.

“We are confident that Neil’s ongoing leadership will continue and enhance the legacy of SSA as a leader in the fields of social work and social welfare, training scholars, practitioners and leaders who have shaped these fields nationally and internationally,” Zimmer and Isaacs wrote in a message announcing Guterman’s reappointment as dean.

Guterman said it is a great honor to serve as SSA dean, and he is proud of elevating interdisciplinary scholarship that tackles some of the most complicated social problems, like violence, poverty, homelessness and HIV risk. Programs at the University, such as Crime Lab, the Chicago Center for Youth Violence Prevention, the Employment Instability and Family Well-Being and Social Policy Network, and the STI/HIV Intervention Network have been either established or expanded under his leadership.

“We’ve partnered strongly across the University to advance its urban engagement agenda,” said Guterman. “We’ve always had deep connections to the city of Chicago through our field and research partnerships. We’re also now more globally engaged with a new program concentration, educational exchanges and research studies in international social welfare,” he added.

Guterman joined the UChicago faculty as a professor in 2006, and was first appointed dean at SSA in 2010. As director of the Beatrice Cummings Mayer Program in Violence Prevention at SSA, he established the nation’s first violence prevention training program in a school of social work. He is the author of Stopping Child Maltreatment Before It Starts: Emerging Horizons in Early Home Visitation Services (2001), and numerous research articles on child abuse prevention, at-risk families and children’s exposure to community violence.

Guterman said SSA’s international work holds great potential in the coming years.

“China is looking to leading universities around the world to help them to develop their social work systems and the way they train professionals to lead those systems,” said Guterman. “We are one of the leading universities providing expert guidance as they establish their social work education system. It’s a historic moment for that country, and we’re excited to be playing a key role in fostering the birth of modern social work in China.” Guterman wants to continue to expand SSA’s global engagement and has recruited faculty with international social welfare expertise.

Guterman said he also wants to encourage development of preventive approaches for social problems and to expand the study of evidence-based solutions.

“In the next five years, we will also devote ourselves to improving the educational quality and support for our students, strengthening our lead role in educating the best-trained social welfare professionals in the world,” said Guterman. “We want to bring in the best and brightest and prepare them for careers of service. The work they take on is very challenging, and we want to well equip them and provide as much support as we can.”

Guterman earned his PhD in social work and psychology from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in social work in clinical practice with families and children from the University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Sara Stoelinga appointed director of UChicago Urban Education Institute

Thu, 12 Mar 2015 13:00 -0500

The University of Chicago Urban Education Institute has a new leader, following the appointment of Sara Ray Stoelinga as the Sara Liston Spurlark Director. Stoelinga will oversee all aspects of UEI, which combines research, practice and policy to improve pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade education for children in urban schools across the country.

Stoelinga succeeds Prof. Timothy Knowles, who has been appointed Pritzker Director of UChicago Urban Labs, a new initiative that complements UEI in producing rigorous research to inform policy on a broad set of urban issues. Knowles also will serve as chairman of UEI, providing institutional oversight and supporting Stoelinga in her role as director.

“UEI is fortunate to have Sara take the helm,” said Knowles, the John Dewey Clinical Professor in the Committee on Education. “She was instrumental in the conceptualization of UEI and is a gifted leader. UEI’s work to improve the quality of schooling nationwide will be in excellent hands.”

“Sara has been instrumental to UEI’s success, and as the director she will deepen UEI’s influence on schooling and educational outcomes across the country,” said Provost Eric D. Isaacs.

Stoelinga is an accomplished leader, scholar and teacher. She has served in a broad range of roles at UEI, most recently as senior director and clinical professor in the Committee on Education. For the last four years, she has co-led all aspects of UEI, including the Consortium on Chicago School Research, the UChicago Charter School, the UChicago Urban Teacher Education Program and UChicago Impact, for which she serves as board chair.

“I am inspired each and every day by my colleagues at UEI—by their focus on the mission, and by how deeply they believe that students can achieve at high levels,” said Stoelinga. “UEI’s mission of creating knowledge to produce reliably excellent urban schooling is among the most critical levers we have to reduce social inequality, better society, and transform the lives and trajectories of young people growing up in urban communities.”

A UChicago graduate, Stoelinga earned her bachelor’s degree and PhD in sociology. She has written and spoken extensively on urban schooling, publishing numerous articles and two books focused on teacher leadership. She has taught with the Urban Teacher Education Program, in the College and in the Graham School. Recently she developed a series of courses on urban schooling for College students enrolled in UChicago Careeers in Education Professions, and this year conceptualized and taught one of the University’s first MOOCs on the history of public schooling and school reform in the United States.

UEI achieves its mission through four primary components:

The UChicago Consortium on Chicago School Research leads UEI’s applied research effort, informing practice, policy and the public about schooling in Chicago.
The UChicago Urban Teacher Education Program prepares exemplary teachers for Chicago Public Schools while empirically testing a model for urban teacher preparation and support.
The UChicago Charter School educates 1,900 primarily African American students from Chicago’s South Side, with a singular dedication to ensuring every student completes college. UChicago Charter had 100 percent of seniors admitted to college the past three years and the highest college enrollment rate of non-selective schools in the city of Chicago in 2014.
UChicago Impact provides pre-K–12 schools, school systems and states with the highest-quality, research-based diagnostic tools and training designed to produce reliably excellent schooling.