I am delighted to announce that, following a national search that yielded more than 100 applicants, Dr. Ralf Peetz has accepted the permanent position of Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Student Success. As most know, Dr. Peetz has been serving in this position in an interim capacity since June 2016; his permanent position will commence on Saturday, June 3, 2017, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.
In addition to serving as Interim Associate Provost for the past year, Ralf is a tenured faculty member of the Chemistry Department, as well as a long-time member of The Graduate Center Doctoral Faculty in Chemistry. He has been at CSI since 2003, and prior to his current appointment in Academic Affairs, held many faculty leadership positions, including membership on the Teacher Education and Science, Letters, and Society Advisory Boards; chairing of the Graduate Studies Committee; membership on the Institutional Planning Committee; and service as Vice Chair of the Faculty Senate. He has also served on the Honors College Advisory Boards for both the CSI Macaulay Honors Program and The Verrazano School, and as a member of the General Education Committee. In addition, he has mentored more than 20 undergraduate researchers, as well as five doctoral students. Ralf also has an extensive record of community service.
Ralf received his Vordiplom in Chemistry from Martin Luther University, Halle-Wittenberg (Germany) and his MS and PhD in Chemistry from The University of Hamburg. Prior to joining the CSI faculty, he served for three years as Visiting Scientist at the Maurice Morton Institute of Polymer Science at the University of Akron. His areas of academic specialization include functional materials and macromolecular engineering, future energy needs, and science in education. He has published nearly 40 refereed articles and other papers, has been PI or co-PI on several significant grants, and has received numerous CUNY internal awards.
In making this announcement, I want also to express sincere appreciation to the search committee that worked hard to ensure the success of this search: Sarah Zelikovitz (Chair), Susan Sullivan, Alan Lyons, Stefan CharlesPierre, Donna Scimeca, Alyson Bardsley, and student member Emanoil Shafik.
I hope you will all join in congratulating Ralf and wishing him well in this important position. We are indeed fortunate that Ralf Peetz has stepped forward to accept this leadership role directed at the strengthening of undergraduate studies, generally, and support for student success, in particular.
