September 02, 2014
As classes resume and we return to campus for a new academic year, I wanted to take a moment to mention a few milestones and some areas of momentum propelling us forward.
First, the milestones:
- The college turns 50 // The college celebrates its 50th birthday this year. The first dean — Richard Caldecott — was named in 1965. In the intervening years, the discipline and the college have evolved in exciting and unexpected ways. Thanks to the vision and commitment of those who came before, CBS is poised to do great things.
- Itasca opens the doors of its new campus center // Later this month, Itasca supporters, legislators and University leaders will gather to dedicate the new campus center and launch a new era of research and education at Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories.
And the momentum:
- A new department dedicated to biology education innovation launches // The Department of Biology Teaching and Learning launched this summer. This first-of-its-kind department will build on the national reputation of our active-learning approach and advance research in the area of biology education.
- Research cluster hiring continues // The college continues its strategy of investing in researchers in emerging areas of the biological sciences that complement our existing strengths. We have welcomed more than a dozen new faculty so far and began new searches to fill faculty posts in four research clusters.
- CBS adds support for career exploration and development // We are introducing new student career development resources for both undergraduates and graduate students this fall. The college is piloting a series of workshops for graduate students and adding career coaching capacity in CBS Student Services to better serve our undergraduates.
It is an exciting time for the college. The energy is palpable. I look forward to sharing the many ways we continue building momentum in the coming year.
Tom Hays, Dean
Professor of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development