Dear all,

I hope the semester is treating you all well.  I’m writing now to let you know about some changes in the administration of the PhD program over the next year.

As you may know, I’m on leave this semester and Dr. Cindy Kierner has been acting as interim PhD director. The original plan was that I would return to the role of PhD director in the Spring, but I have since received a fellowship that means I will be on leave through 2022, which also means that it makes sense for me to step down as PhD director.

Dr. Kierner has kindly agreed to act as interim director through the remainder of this academic year, and in the Summer/Fall of 2022 Dr. Suzy Smith will take over as PhD Director on an ongoing basis.  Both Dr. Kierner and Dr. Smith have directed the PhD program in the past, and both have worked extensively with many of our doctoral students – you’ll be in excellent hands.  (In fact, many of you have already worked more closely with them than with me, and don’t need me to tell you this.)

It’s been a real privilege and pleasure working with you all in my term as PhD Director. I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you, have learned a lot from your scholarship, and remain constantly impressed by all of your hard work, your good cheer – especially in these particularly difficult recent years –  and your many, many accomplishments.

I won’t be around campus much the next year-and-a-bit, but I’ll look forward to seeing many of you when I’m back.

All my best,
Sam