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�Ӱ�ԭ�� University President Benoit-Antoine Bacon and Provost Jerry Tomberlin are pleased to announce the appointment of Patrice Smith as Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs for a five-year term starting July 1, 2019.

“Patrice is a natural leader who brings unique experience to the role of Dean,” said Tomberlin, who chaired the search committee. “She is a respected researcher, an enthusiastic instructor, and is passionate about �Ӱ�ԭ��’s graduate student experience. Please join me in congratulating Patrice on this appointment.”

Smith is a Professor of Neuroscience and currently serves as Associate Dean (Academic Affairs) in the Faculty of Science and as a faculty senator on �Ӱ�ԭ��’s Board of Governors. She has previously served as President of the �Ӱ�ԭ�� University Academic Staff Association (CUASA).

Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Ottawa and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Harvard University before joining �Ӱ�ԭ�� in 2008.

An internationally recognized neuroscientist, Smith’s research specializes in understanding how the brain responds to injury and mechanisms to promote repair and recovery.

“I look forward to working with faculty, staff, students and the broader community toward facilitating excellence in graduate and postdoctoral training at �Ӱ�ԭ��,” said Smith.

Smith will succeed Matthias Neufang who, after much reflection, has decided not to seek renewal for a second term as Dean to allow him to focus more heavily on his research and his work with his own graduate students. Neufang has served as Dean since 2014.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Matthias for his outstanding contributions during his term as Dean and for his innovative leadership in improving the graduate student experience,” said Tomberlin.

“I would also like to thank the members of the search committee for their diligence in completing a successful search process and to everyone from the �Ӱ�ԭ�� community who submitted comments and feedback throughout the process.”