Category: Leaders
LAW’s Julie Dahlstrom Wins 2026 Metcalf Cup and Prize
Julie Dahlstrom won the 2026 Metcalf Cup and Prize, Boston University’s highest teaching honor. Dahlstrom is associate dean of experiential education, clinical professor of law, and director of the Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program at the School of Law. Her work takes law students out of the classroom to fight for the victims of human trafficking, including in the courts and the legislature.
BU Names New Provost, a Renowned Scholar and Scientist from Duke
Colin Duckett, an internationally renowned scholar, immunologist, and molecular biologist and a respected academic leader from Duke University, will be Boston University’s new provost and chief academic officer, starting July 1, 2026. Duckett will replace Gloria Waters, a longtime BU senior leader who announced that she would step down at the end of the 2025–2026 academic year, after which she’ll return to BU’s faculty. Like Waters, Duckett will serve as provost for both Boston University and the Medical Campus, which includes the BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, the School of Public Health, and the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine.
President Gilliam Outlines Her “North Star” Vision for the University’s Future
In her first Presidential Address, Boston University President Melissa Gilliam laid out a bold vision for the future of BU—one that draws upon the institution’s long history of innovation, collaboration, and openness and its strength in interdisciplinary, convergent research—to point the University in a direction that will enable it to meet the current moment and to excel for generations to come.
BU Community Defines Eight Values That Will Shape the University for Generations
In a year-long process that began after the Living Our Values initiative was announced in fall 2024, faculty, staff, students, and alumni agreed on a set of eight values for Boston University. These guiding principles will shape the University community and its campus life and amplify the impact BU is making in the world. The approach included nearly 100 meetings with various community members and extensive research into peer colleges and universities to learn how they define and share their own values. These eight values are: integrity, excellence, learning, community, global, inclusion, service, and collaboration.
BU Board of Trustees Welcomes New Members
Boston University’s Board of Trustees elected two new members this fall, adding to its deep well of individuals with experience in business, education, and healthcare. Rod F. Hochman (CAMED’79, CAS’79) and Kamal Bahamdan (ENG’94) both joined the board.
Kenneth Lutchen Appointed Associate Provost for Research
Boston University has appointed pioneering biomedical engineer and experienced higher education leader Kenneth Lutchen as its new vice president and associate provost for research. Lutchen has held a variety of prior teaching and leadership positions at BU, including senior advisor to the president for strategy and innovation, and he cochairs the Task Force on Convergent Research and Education. For 17 years, he was a transformative dean of BU’s College of Engineering and he spent a year as interim provost during the University’s presidential transition.
Pioneering Healthcare Scholar Adnan Hyder Named School of Public Health Dean
Adnan Hyder, a globally renowned doctor and scholar who has devoted a quarter of a century to improving healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, has been named the new dean of Boston University’s School of Public Health and a Robert A. Knox Professor. The professorship supports a faculty member who demonstrates excellence—in teaching, scholarship, and research—and makes an impact on society.
Elise Morgan Named BU College of Engineering Dean
Elise Morgan, interim dean of the College of Engineering since July 2023 and a long-standing and deeply respected member of the ENG faculty, will take over the role permanently starting August 1. Her appointment as dean of ENG comes after a national search process that included “several strong candidates for the role,” Gloria Waters, University provost and chief academic officer, said in a letter to the BU community. Waters described Morgan’s “exemplary leadership” as a key factor in the decision.
BU Joins Universities Backing Harvard’s Research Funding and Government Control Court Case
Boston University joined 23 other schools in filing an amicus brief in federal court supporting Harvard University in its ongoing court battle following the Trump administration’s freezing of nearly $3 billion in federal research funding. BU has also joined several collective efforts advocating for government-funded research, noting its benefit to society and to the country’s competitiveness in the world.
Board of Trustees Welcomes New Members
Boston University’s Board of Trustees and the University Advisory Board have both added new members to their ranks. The Board of Trustees added six members and elected two members as Trustee Emeriti. The University Advisory Board added two new members and elected a new chair.
