Dr. Alex Chigogidze will be the Dean of Science and Technology at the College of Staten Island, effective Friday, July 1, 2011.
Following a nationwide search and extensive campus participation, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. William J. Fritz, is pleased to report the appointment of Dr. Alex Chigogidze as the Dean of Science and Technology at the College of Staten Island, effective Friday, July 1, 2011.
Dr. Chigogidze is an accomplished scholar and administrator. He is the managing editor of the journal Topology and Its Application and is a member of the editorial board of the Tbilisi Mathematical Journal and the JP Journal of Geometry and Topology, and has received research grants from the National Science and Engineering Research Council. Dr. Chigogidze’s publications include two monographs and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. In addition, his book Inverse Spectra was published in the prestigious North-Holland Mathematical Library and represents a major contribution in the area of geometric topology. He also presented his research at many national and international symposia and conferences.
Prior to joining CSI, Dr. Chigogidze held the position of H. Barton Excellence Professor and Head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Previous positions held by Dr. Chigogidze include tenured, full professor of mathematics at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada; senior research associate at the Georgian Academy of Sciences; associate professor at Petrozavdsk State University, Russia; and Research Associate at Moscow State University.
In addition to holding a PhD and MSc from Tbilisi State University, Dr. Chigogidze earned the prestigious DSc Habilitation degree from Moscow State University. His professional development activities include extensive editorial work and the organization of many conferences and steering committee meetings.
As head of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Chigogidze was committed to student success. He restructured both the undergraduate and graduate programs, and developed and implemented a number of online courses, which prompted the General Administration in Chapel Hill to designate him as a leader in statewide efforts to expand distance education in mathematics.
Perhaps one of Dr. Chigogidze’s most outstanding achievements was his success in establishing a PhD program in Computational Mathematics, which is the only program of its kind in the state of North Carolina. This program transformed the department from a Master’s and a highly service-oriented department to a doctoral-granting department. His efforts dramatically changed the research potential and achievement of the department.
“I commend the outstanding work of the search committee co-chaired by Alfred Levine, Acting Dean of Science and Technology, and Jane Coffee, Professor, Mathematics Department and Director of the Teacher Education Honors Academy,” said Provost Fritz. “The Committee’s diligence and insight produced an impressive pool of applicants, and its hard work assured a successful outcome of this important search.
“On behalf of myself, the faculty, administration, and staff, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Acting Dean Alfred Levine, for his tireless leadership of the Division of Science and Technology. He brought knowledge, scholarship, wisdom and distinction to the position of Dean,” Provost Fritz added.
