Dr. Laura Lautz is the Senior Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives, Innovation, and College Affairs in the College of Science at George Mason University. She also holds an appointment as Professor in the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences. As the Senior Associate Dean, Lautz leads the development and execution of strategies that advance innovation and excellence across academic, student, and faculty affairs, as well as strategic enrollment management and community engagement. To the role of Senior Associate Dean, Lautz brings 20 years of academic and government experience and leadership. She most recently served as a program director in the Geosciences Directorate at the National Science Foundation (NSF), where she led long-standing core disciplinary programs in earth surface processes, and developed and implemented interdisciplinary, cross-directorate programs spanning geosciences, engineering, social sciences, biology, and technological innovation. Previously, she was the Jessie Page Heroy Professor and Department Chair of Earth Sciences at Syracuse University. At Syracuse, she also directed the interdisciplinary, cross-college NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) graduate program on Water-Energy Research, which integrated technical training across science and engineering programs with the professional skills development needed to compete for careers in energy, environmental consulting, government, nonprofits, academia, and beyond. Her research expertise is in how hydrologic processes influence water quality and movement through watersheds, with particular emphasis on how water and solutes move through paired surface and groundwater systems.