Dean’s blog: NEW CHAPTER

Halfway through our busy summer and we're experiencing another big change. As former George Mason University College of Science Dean, Fernando Miralles Wilhelm begins his new role as president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the next chapter of our new college leadership begins. 

Effective July 1, I am excited to assume the role of interim dean for the college I've been affiliated with since its beginning. I feel fortunate to have served on its leadership team as senior associate dean for faculty and academic affairs for the past three years as it's given me an excellent opportunity to become more familiar with our administrative systems, processes, strategies, and most importantly, to collaborate with many of the people who make up our science community.

To best lead our college through this transition period, a number of responsibilities will be shifting hands. Although we will discuss this in more detail during the State of the College address this fall, I wanted to share the high-level info in a timely manner as the transition occurs. 

First, I will be working for our college from a variety of locations. Most of the time, you can find me in the dean's suite in Fairfax, VA. I will also continue my role overseeing the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation in Front Royal, and will maintain a regular presence on our Science and Technology Campus as well. I will be on the road attending many advancement-related activities, as President Washington and you all expect me to do. 

You will also see me at various events and activities, whether it be congratulating NSF graduate scholars in Mathematics or our forensics leaders at the instillation of the first donors to our outdoor Forensic Science Research and Training Laboratory at the George Mason Science and Technology campus, or at the annual ScienceConnect events for students, faculty and staff as we celebrate the start of the fall semester. (Mark your calendars: the Fairfax campus ScienceConnect is September 5 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Exploratory Hall Atria and we will be at the Science and Technology Campus ScienceConnect on Tuesday, September 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Katherine G. Johnson Hall).

I'll be meeting with the chairs on a regular basis to connect across the college. And please reach out to let me know how you're doing. Share your successes and challenges. We will continue to leverage the regular newsletters, event emails, and our intranet to keep all informed of activities and what's happening to impact our college and the broader George Mason community.

Change can be challenging to navigate. Yet I am confident that together, we will not only do so with excellence and good effort, we will continue to evolve, grow, and thrive as we move forward into this next chapter.

~ Cody