Dean's Blog

As part of the hiring process for this job as dean of George Mason University’s College of Science, I had the opportunity to meet with faculty and staff in an informal town hall. During that discussion, I shared my vision for the college and explained my leadership style as I fielded questions from the group. One of the attendees asked me to describe my communication style and how I handle information. I explained my belief that transparency and information sharing builds trust and empowers ideation from among our scientific community. And I promised that this two-way information exchange would be an important part of our strategy for growth and prosperity.

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On March 12, 2020, I walked out of my office, a bit early since we were told we were going into lockdown (for three to four weeks max they estimated). I haven't set foot in that office since. Actually, I got a new job (here at Mason) that started just over a year ago, which I have largely done remotely.

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I offered a shorter version of this blog last week to commemorate the first Juneteenth federal holiday yet am sharing it here again to encourage further awareness and reflection. Very rarely one gets the privilege to experience historical events as they occur. Last week, we experienced one of those days, and I was eager to briefly share my excitement and sense of hope with all of you. 

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As we enter the month of June, I wanted to devote this blog post to Pride month, share a bit of my personal experience with colleagues and friends in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ+) community, some of the LGBTQ+ scientists’ contributions, and Mason’s decades-long and current efforts to provide resources for the LGBTQ+ faculty, staff and students.

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