The quality of a university depends on the quality of its faculty, and hiring the best and giving them a strong start is crucial. In 2013/14, CAS hired 17 new assistant professors across the humanities and social, natural, and computational sciences who will begin their careers here in the coming year. We also hired two senior professors, who will take up important leadership roles immediately:
- Daniel Bluestone, Professor of the History of Art & Architecture and American & New England Studies and incoming Director of the Preservation Studies Program. Professor Bluestone, a specialist in 19th-century American architecture and urbanism, comes to us from the University of Virginia School of Architecture, where he directed the school’s preservation studies program. His most recent book, Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory: Case Studies in Historic Preservation (W.W. Norton, 2011), received the Society of Architectural Historians 2013 Antoinette Forrester Downing Book Award for “the most outstanding publication devoted to historical topics in the preservation field that enhances the understanding and protection of the built environment.”
- Karl Kirchwey, Professor of English and Creative Writing and incoming Director of the Creative Writing Program. Professor Kirchwey comes to us from Bryn Mawr College, where he directed their creative writing program. Kirchwey is a prize-winning poet who directed the Unterberg Poetry Center of the New York 92nd Street Y for 13 years and served as Andrew Heiskell Arts Director at the American Academy in Rome from 2010 to 2013.
Thomas M. Menino, the city of Boston’s longest-serving mayor from 1993 to 2014, was also hired this year as Professor of the Practice and Co-Director of the BU Initiative on Cities. His passing in October 2014 was mourned by the entire BU and CAS community. A popular and effective mayor, he was known for many things, including his attention to the urban environment and his concern for the residents of all of the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
The quality of CAS faculty is evident in the large number of prestigious awards they win for their research, including, in the past year: a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright, BU’s first ever Mellon Foundation New Directions Fellowship, and membership in the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
CAS faculty are also honored for their teaching—for the innovation, passion, and commitment with which they approach their craft. Alan Marscher’s passion for astronomy and for teaching earned him one of the University’s highest teaching honors, the Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching. Biologist Thomas Gilmore’s dedication to research and instruction earned him the 2014 United Methodist Scholar/Teacher of the Year Award. The award recognizes outstanding scholarship and contributions to the learning arts and the University.
Physics faculty members Andrew Duffy, Manher Jariwala, Bennett Goldberg, and Pankaj Mehta received the first annual Gerald and Deanne Gitner Family Innovation in Teaching with Technology Award, funded by Gerald Gitner (CAS’66). The Gitner Award recognizes the BU faculty member or team that best exemplifies innovation in teaching by use, development, or adaptation of technology that results in positive learning outcomes for undergrads and is recognized or adopted by colleagues within or outside BU. The physics team developed a program, Transforming Physics Teaching and Learning Through Technology, that employs a set of interwoven, evidence-based technologies that enhance student learning in large introductory physics courses. The program creates an environment in which students learn physics supported by technology, space, classmates, and the instructors, graduate students, and undergrads who make up the instructional team. The fabric technologies draw students into material, peer discussions, hands-on discovery, and high-engagement classrooms.
Highlight: Faculty Awards & Recognition
Promotions
In 2013/2014, nine CAS assistant professors were promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure: Japonica Brown-Saracino, sociology; Emine Fetvaci, history of art & architecture; Robinson (Wally) Fulweiler, biology and earth & environment; Samuel Isaacson, mathematics & statistics; Margaret Litvin, modern languages & comparative literature; Susanne Sreedhar, philosophy; Evimaria Terzi, computer science; Gregory Williams, history of art & architecture; and Paul Katsafanas, philosophy. In addition, Donna Pincus, associate professor of psychology, was granted tenure.
Ten CAS faculty were promoted to the rank of professor: Bruce Anderson, earth & environment; John Byers, computer science; Julian Go, sociology; Glen (“Dick”) Hall, mathematics & statistics; Deborah Kelemen, psychology; George Kollios, computer science; Maurice Lee, English; Christopher Martin, English; Jianjun Miao, economics; and Michele Rucci, psychology.
Finally, eight CAS faculty members retired from active service as professors and, after a vote of the faculty, were granted the title of professor emeritus or emerita, a mark of respect for colleagues who exemplify the highest values of the academic profession. These newly retired faculty include Andrew Bacevich, international relations; Alison Blakely, the Wein Professor of African American studies and history; David Fromkin, international relations; Paul Goldberg, archaeology; Patricia Hills, history of art & architecture; Victor Kestenbaum, philosophy; Alan Olson, religion; and William Skocpol, physics.
Annual Report 2013/2014
From the Dean
From recruiting ever-better faculty and students to surging ahead in our capital campaign, academic year 2013/2014 was a year of great accomplishments.
Improving Undergraduate Education
CAS once again attracted our most talented class of undergraduates ever. And we laid the groundwork to serve them even better, offering expanded academic opportunities and a comprehensive first-year experience program with over 500 first-year student participants.
Strengthening Graduate Education
BU and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences saw immediate, strong results from our new five-year PhD funding model that has increased the attractiveness of doctoral programs.
Enhancing a World-Class Faculty
The quality of a university depends on the quality of its faculty, and hiring the best and giving them a strong start is crucial. In 2013/14, CAS hired 17 new assistant professors and 3 senior professors across the humanities and social, natural, and computational sciences.
Conducting Path-Breaking Research
As the academic heart of BU and its biggest school, CAS’s dynamism is helping propel BU’s recognition as one of the finest research universities in the country. New initiatives including the Center for Systems Neuroscience, BU Initiative on Cities, and Center for Autism Research Excellence are taking our research to new heights.
Deepening Our Global Mission
This year, thanks to a generous gift from Frederick S. Pardee (SMG’54, GSM’54, Hon.’06), we laid the groundwork for the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, launched in September 2014 and reporting to CAS. The Pardee School builds on the substantial success CAS has had in creating strong global and international studies programs.
Stewarding Our Resources
Boston University is financially healthy, although it faces the challenges of a continuing weak economy and many other issues that require skilled and careful management in higher education today. CAS is fortunate to benefit from BU’s wise management and our own diligent stewardship of our resources.
Nurturing Connections with Alumni and Friends
Boston University and the College of Arts & Sciences have made significant steps in building a framework for alumni to engage with faculty, other alumni, and current students in ongoing learning, discussion, and inquiry. Over 6,000 of the alumni attending BU Alumni Association events around the world were CAS alumni (up 11% over the previous year).
Growing Our Capacity: The Campaign for CAS
BU is in the midst of our first-ever capital campaign, and CAS is well ahead in its progress toward our original goal of raising $100 million. More than 4,300 alumni and many other friends of CAS contributed during the past fiscal year. By the end of the 2014 fiscal year, CAS had received $83.2 million in gift funds through the campaign.
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