Dear College of Science Faculty and Staff,
Tomorrow June 1, 2024, I will have been your Dean for four years. I came to Northeastern University to promote innovation and excellence across the College of Science, to support every member of the College in your trajectory and to contribute to Northeastern University goals. What an honor, and I’m enormously proud of everything we’ve accomplished together.
The journey back four years through my Outlook calendar is quite extraordinary. Our first Community Meeting was June 10, 2020, focused not only on dealing with COVID, but on the systemic racial violence once again at the forefront. We declared our COS COVID philosophy as Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Creative. We’ve held COS Community meetings every three weeks since.
I sent out the first Weekly Update on July 10. By then, Northeastern had boldly declared it would be open for students in Fall 2020. It was a terrifying time, with much grief. We were deep in COVID, no vaccine, masks hard to find, six feet apart, meeting as online rectangles. Cleaning protocols, hybrid classrooms, remote work, research closed and painstakingly reopening. On August 17, the Northeastern COVID testing center opened, brilliantly organized by Dr. Jared Auclair. The semester started for Northeastern students. Protect the Pack, remember? And you were so wonderful, many of you came back to teach in person.
My calendar filled with meetings, to know who everyone was, what various units did, what were the challenges, how could I help? Our Associate Dean group changed almost completely, with new positions and amazing leaders. Most importantly, I emphasized that the Dean’s Office and Departments are on the same team, working towards the same goals. And so, we defined a single collegial, collaborative Executive Leadership Team for the College of Science.
We developed excellent science taglines! CONNECTS, oft used but so relevant in letters and sentiment. The Good Power of Science, a unique, positive framing of our overarching focus. ‘hands-in’, our deep approach to experiential learning. And we always have in mind our signature Science Husky!
Four years out, we never forget that We are a Diverse College where Everyone Belongs, as we continue to diversify our membership.
Four years out, we are a strong COS Community, that you said is Friendly, Inclusive, Welcoming, Supportive, Collaborative.
Four years out, we have an excellent reputation as a well-organized College, including finance, grants admin, HR, space, safety, communications, advising, coop, department support.
Four years out, your work of educating future science professionals is ever more important. Thousands of undergraduates every semester; hugely expanded MS programs across our global campuses; and novel, empowering PhD training.
Four years out, we have hired more than 100 talented faculty (about half tenure track, half teaching faculty). Around 100 COS faculty have wonderfully received tenure or promotion.
Four years out, congratulations on your groundbreaking, cross-disciplinary, high impact research and strong funding or honorific awards.
Four years out, we are starting to implement our fantastic strategic plan, CONNECTIONS to the Future, that supports our vision across the Global University, and the university academic plan.
Four years out, CONGRATULATIONS! on your innovative, interesting, important work.
Four years out, thank you for the opportunity to lead our outstanding Northeastern University College of Science. Warm wishes to everyone.
(The Weekly will move to a summer schedule, publishing on June 28, July 26 and August 23, before resuming our regular schedule on September 6. Please enjoy some summer rest and recreation.)