College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies Dean

Dr. Joel Hektner serves as Interim Dean of the College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies (CGIS) at NDSU, which supports over 2,000 graduate students across more than 80 graduate programs in five academic colleges: College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources; College of Arts and Sciences; College of Business; College of Engineering; and College of Health and Human Sciences. He collaborates closely with a dedicated team of 11 professional staff members to foster academic excellence, graduate recruitment, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional growth for graduate students, programs, and faculty, including professional development initiatives such as the Graduate Professional Skills Academy and the Center for Writers. Dr. Hektner provides strategic leadership for graduate education across the university, as well as administration of several interdisciplinary graduate programs, including Cellular and Molecular Biology; Discipline-Based Education Research; Environmental and Conservation Sciences; Genomics, Phenomics and Bioinformatics; and Materials and Nanotechnology.

Career Background

Before his current role, Dr. Hektner served as department head and professor in Human Development and Family Science at NDSU for eleven years. The department serves over 600 undergraduates and 99 graduate students. Dr. Hektner has taught both online and in-person graduate courses in both professional master’s and research-focused PhD programs. He led his department in launching their Developmental Science PhD program and accelerated master’s programs. Recently he worked with faculty in Counselor Education to bring that program into the HDFS department, and they are now working on an expansion of the program. As an eight-year member of Graduate Council, he worked on defining affiliate faculty levels and chaired several graduate student appeals committees. He has provided grant-funded assistantships to 14 students, mentored 50 master’s and PhD students, and served on committees for 75 others.

A native of Wahpeton, ND, Dr. Hektner earned his BA in Psychology from Princeton University and his PhD in Psychology/ Human Development from the University of Chicago. He then served as a research scientist at the University of Minnesota Medical School before coming to NDSU. His research interests include experience sampling, flow experiences, and preventive intervention programs to promote optimal development among parents and children.

Phone: 701-231-8269
Email: joel.hektner@ndsu.edu