NDSU Provost Margaret Fitzgerald recently announced Susan Sell, who previously was associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Health and Human Services at the University of North Carolina, is NDSU’s new dean of graduate and interdisciplinary studies. Sell, who was appointed following a national search, began her new duties on Jan. 3, 2022.
“I’m excited about joining NDSU. The university has disciplinary and interdisciplinary strengths which support a robust graduate experience for our students," Sell said. "I’m particularly excited about the recent elevation of the university to top tier status by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education. In order to reach this top status, a university must excel at both research and graduate education. Having this recognition helps us to attract the best students. As a land grant institution, we seek to solve problems through academic programs, research and Extension. Our graduates are an important source of our future intellectual leaders and creative problem solvers.”
Sell is a tenured full professor of bioinformatics and genomics who earned her doctorate in cellular, viral and molecular biology from the University of Utah.
“Dr. Sell is an experienced higher education administrator who brings an array of educational and training experiences to NDSU,” Fitzgerald said. “We have an exemplary new colleague in Dr. Sell. Please welcome her to our community.”
Fitzgerald also acknowledged Ben Duncan’s work as interim dean since July 1, 2020, and the efforts of the search committee.
“Dr. Duncan has shown great leadership. His trust, flexibility and ongoing support has been much appreciated by his colleagues at the Graduate School,” Fitzgerald said. “The committee worked intensively to review and interview many accomplished candidates. We are grateful for the crucial role committee members played in finding our talented new dean.”
Search committee members included:
• Jim Deal, search committee chair, interim dean of the College of Human Sciences and Education
• Bradley Benton, associate professor of history, philosophy and religious studies
• Kelly Buettner-Schmidt, professor in the School of Nursing
• Tim Greives, associate professor of biological sciences
• Siew Lim, associate professor of agribusiness and applied economics
• Ryan McGrath, assistant professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences
• Dharmakeerthi Nawarathna, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering
• Kate Nelson-DeShaw, academic support specialist in the Graduate School
• Enrico Sassi, Center for Writers director
• Joseph Szmerekovsky, associate dean of the College of Business
• Bleck Tita, graduate research assistant in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
• Beth Twomey, head of research and instruction, NDSU Libraries
• Stacy Vetter, business coordinator in the Graduate School
• Canan Bilen-Green, ex officio, vice provost for faculty affairs and equity
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