New Assistant, Associate Deans Named to Lead Texas A&M Science Undergraduate Efforts
COLLEGE STATION —
Mathematician Dr. Yvette Hester and astronomer Dr. Lucas Macri are teaming up to lead undergraduate efforts for the Texas A&M University College of Science in respective new administrative roles as assistant and associate deans, announced Dean of Science Meigan Aronson.
Hester, an instructional associate professor and assistant department head for academic professional track faculty affairs in the Department of Mathematics, has been named Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Macri, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has been named Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs. Both appointments are effective January 1, 2017.
Hester will serve as the point person for all student counseling issues, progress-to-degree assessment, Transfer Learning Community coordination, transfer admissions, New Student Conferences and College of Science course scheduling.
Macri will provide oversight for all undergraduate curricula across the college’s five departments, in addition to the college-level university studies degrees and the Science Leadership Scholars Program. He also will represent the college on the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and manage the Honors Programs.
The two replace Dr. Timothy P. Scott, one of the longest-serving associate deans in the College of Science who originally was appointed in 2000 by the late Dr. Richard E. Ewing. After more than a decade and a half of directing undergraduate programs and assisting with college development and former student relations, Scott has been named to a university-level post, Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies, also effective January 1, 2017.
“I am excited that Drs. Hester and Macri have joined our team,” Aronson said. “Separately, they are distinguished scientists with wealths of experience in education and student mentorship. Together, they will help the College of Science to strengthen and extend the quality and range of the educational opportunities that we offer our students, both in the classroom and elsewhere.
“I am very much looking forward to working with Drs. Hester and Macri to advance the college.”
Hester joined Texas A&M Mathematics in 2008 after a previous stint on faculty from 1990 to 2001 and earning both her master’s and Ph.D. from Texas A&M in applied mathematics (1989) and educational statistics and psychometrics (2000), respectively. In addition to being a member along with Macri of the joint College of Science/College of Engineering Curriculum Committee, Hester has worked on several initiatives related to student success within the Department of Mathematics during her past five years as an assistant head. She also has developed technology-integrated and web-based curricula as well as various honors courses. Since 2013, Hester has chaired the college’s Faculty Advisory Committee to the Dean. She also brings previous experience as both Mathematics Chair (2003-07) and Dean of Instruction (2003-05) at Germanna Community College.
Macri has been a member of the Texas A&M Physics and Astronomy faculty and the George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy since 2008. He spent six years as a postdoctoral Hubble Fellow and Goldberg Fellow at the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) after earning his bachelor’s of science in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1995 and his Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard University in 2001. At Texas A&M, Macri’s research focuses on measuring the expansion rate of the universe to better determine its composition and evolution. He was instrumental in the design of Texas A&M’s Ph.D. in astronomy, which was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in spring 2016 and launched in fall 2016. Macri received a 2014 Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching at the college level and regularly participates in education and public outreach activities on campus and across the state of Texas.
To learn more about undergraduate programs in the Texas A&M College of Science, visit here.
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Contact: Shana K. Hutchins, (979) 862-1237 or shutchins@science.tamu.edu or Dr. Meigan Aronson, (979) 845-7361 or maronson@science.tamu.edu
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