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.
Boston University Introduces Common Read, a New Campus Tradition
A new campus tradition launched in 2025: the Boston University Common Read, where the whole University community is encouraged to participate in a shared reading experience—creating the foundation for ongoing discussion. Booker Prize–winning novel Orbital, by Samantha Harvey, was the inaugural book. While the program is designed with first-year and transfer students in mind, the Common Read is open to all faculty, staff, and students.
Boston University Makes LinkedIn’s First “Top Colleges” List for Student Career Success Prep
The professional networking social media platform LinkedIn launched its inaugural list of the Top Colleges in the US. In the compilation of the 50 undergraduate institutions that best prepare students for successful careers, Boston University is 43rd. Among the top fields with BU alumni, the rankings identified technology and internet companies, higher education, and advertising.
BU’s Jack Parker Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Jack Parker (Questrom’68, Hon.’97) is BU’s first inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 40 seasons coaching Boston University’s men’s hockey, Parker notched 897 victories—second among all active coaches nationally when he retired in 2013. He led the Terriers to three national championships and six Hockey East titles, while earning three coach of the year awards.
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 Rises in New Rankings of World Universities, Cited as a Digital Leader in Higher Education
French rating company Emerging put Boston University in the top tier of schools for digital education and graduate employability. Emerging’s rankings, Digital Leaders in Higher Education 2025, gives BU high grades in several categories: 9th out of 150 schools for Data Science, AI & Business Analytics; 11th out of 200 schools in Digital Talent Development; 12th out of 150 schools for Computer Science; 21st out of 150 schools in Digital Entrepreneurship; and 21st out of 150 schools for Digital Transformation Management.
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.
BU Data Platform Will Help Massachusetts Track, and Work to Close, Wage Gaps
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts selected Boston University to develop a data platform that will underpin new wage equity legislation in hopes of closing the Massachusetts wage gap. To help in the creation of aggregate wage reports, a group of researchers within the Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences has developed an encrypted program that anonymizes demographic and salary information as well as enables anyone to query the database to see high-level trends.
Renowned Virologist Robert A. Davey to Lead NEIDL, BU’s Infectious Diseases Research Hub
Internationally renowned virologist Robert Davey has been named interim director of Boston University’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL). Davey is a BU Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine professor of virology, immunology, and microbiology. Davey says his priorities as interim director are to sustain NEIDL’s momentum, help it navigate new challenges in the research landscape, and strengthen its leadership in high-impact science and public health preparedness.
