Appointment of Professor Sean Mullen as Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs
From Dr. Gloria Waters, University Provost and Chief Academic Officer
This past summer, I announced the search for the next associate provost for graduate affairs at Boston University. With so many high-level priorities on the horizon (from enrollment and the environments we create for PhD students to implementation of a new union contract for our graduate workers), it was essential that we identify someone with a broad understanding of graduate education at BU and the vision, energy, and collaborative style to immediately lead in this role. After a comprehensive search that considered several talented internal and external candidates, I am delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Sean Mullen, professor of biology and associate dean of the faculty of natural sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS), as our next associate provost for graduate affairs, effective January 1, 2025.
Professor Mullen has been a highly respected member of the BU faculty since 2010 and among the nation’s top scholars in the field of biodiversity and evolutionary biology. Since joining CAS 14 years ago, he has led across a range of important areas both in research and organizationally, overseeing the hiring and recruitment of world-class faculty and graduate students, working with associate deans and chairs to forge strategic collaborations across disciplines and departments that build on BU’s existing research strengths, and advancing efforts to promote inclusive excellence in the sciences through active mentoring and development. Over the last two years, Professor Mullen has contributed to successful searches within CAS for two critical new leadership positions: a director of STEM outreach and diversity and a director of research administration. He has likewise been a valued partner on a range of University-wide endeavors, from helping maintain continuity of operations throughout the COVID pandemic and the graduate worker strike to playing an active role implementing the recommendations of the University-wide Task Force on the Future of PhD Education.
Professor Mullen’s National Science Foundation-funded research seeks to better understand the origin and maintenance of diversity at all levels of biological organization – in particular, the role that life history evolution plays in driving adaptive diversification among Neotropical Adelpha butterflies. He is a past associate chair of ecology, behavior, and evolution faculty in biology within CAS and has been an active participant in BU’s ongoing Academic Program Review and a member the Provost’s Research Council. He has a strong publication history, with dozens of articles in top peer-reviewed scientific journals and is a frequent presenter at national conferences. Professor Mullen holds a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from Cornell University, an MS in biology from Villanova University, and a BS in biology from Dickinson College.
As associate provost for graduate affairs, Professor Mullen will provide central leadership for the University’s graduate education initiatives, working closely with our schools and colleges to support interdisciplinary and co-curricular education and research, increase graduate student access to a wider variety of interdisciplinary programs, and foster greater collaboration between our Charles River and Medical Campus graduate programs. He will additionally be responsible for curriculum management and development, creating systems for accountability, access, and inclusion, and overseeing a comprehensive graduate professional development program.
Professor Mullen will officially begin his new duties on January 1, 2025, and continue to hold an appointment as professor of biology. We are excited to welcome Professor Mullen to this leadership role and hope you will join us in congratulating him on his appointment. We would also like to extend our gratitude once again to Professor Daniel Kleinman for his service and many contributions over the last eight years as associate provost for graduate affairs and in wishing him well as he prepares to return to the faculty at the end of December.
Appointment of Professor Sean Mullen as Next Associate Provost for Graduate Affairs – 11.4.24