Pitt has selected an internal candidate — Adam Leibovich — to replace Kathleen Blee as dean of the Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences and College of General Studies, effective July 1, 2023.
Leibovich currently serves as associate dean for research and faculty development in the Dietrich School, director of the Pittsburgh Quantum Institute, and professor of physics. He was one of four finalists for the job and the only one currently at Pitt.
The announcement on April 26 from Provost Ann Cudd said Leibovich, “brings to this role a great deal of ingrained institutional knowledge. He also has shared with me and the search committee his commitment to collaboration and fostering connections, in addition to his dedication to University service, and focus on innovation.”
In a meeting with faculty, staff and students during the search process, Leibovich said because of his institutional knowledge at Pitt, he is in a good position to step into a leadership role, particularly with all the turmoil at the University’s highest ranks. He wants to continue hiring great faculty and staff to get the school back to full strength and be able to retain and nurture them.
Blee, who has been dean since 2017, announced last June her intention to return to the faculty. A national search was conducted, led by Joe McCarthy, vice provost for undergraduate studies. Dietrich is the largest school at Pitt with 12,921 students in fall 2022, 1,127 faculty and 432 staff members. The school has more than 40 departments and programs. In addition, almost all undergraduates participate in Dietrich School classes to complete their general education requirements.
Leibovich received his Ph.D. in physics from the California Institute of Technology and his bachelor’s from Cornell University. From 1997-2000 he was a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University and from 2000-02 a postdoctoral research fellow at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. In 2003, he joined the faculty of Pitt’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. He became the department chair in 2015, and associate dean in 2017.
He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Tina and David Bellet Teaching Excellence Award from the Dietrich School, an NSF CAREER Award, and a Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science and was named an Honors College faculty fellow here at Pitt. He has also received continuous National Science Foundation funding since 2003, the year he started at Pitt.
— Susan Jones
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