Dean finalists for the College of Health Sciences, Marketa Marvanova and Jacob Warren make public presentations for final consideration the week of March 21.
“The division directors and the deans of the schools have made my job easier because they are such talented individuals and great leaders,” David Jones, the current Dean of the College of Health Sciences, said. “The next dean is going to come into a terrific situation in that regard.”
The vision includes both an expansion of the Wyoming Telehealth Network and advanced medical innovations.
“For our own students, we want to be able to make more opportunities on campus for clinical and interdisciplinary experiences,” Jones said. “And I’m also thinking in terms of helping with state biomedical innovation where we want to be able to expand that in the state and lead to greater economic development.”
Like any other dean, the position includes oversight of several schools, academic programs, and research projects, all geared towards clinical training and the challenge of rural healthcare.
“To have both feet in the research and scholarship area, but then they [the finalists] also need to have an understanding and appreciation of the role of training and understanding things from the clinician side,” said Jones.
Provost Kevin Carman also voiced his enthusiasm over the candidates.
“I think we have strong candidates,” Carman said. “We have folks with really strong experiences and backgrounds that can bring a lot of energy to the college.”
Carman said that it is important the dean candidates focus on incentivizing and seeking funding for research programs as well as maintaining strong educational programs.
“Beyond that, there are facilities that are always in need of upgrades for both teaching and research,” Carman said. “A dean needs to have the ability, desire, and energy to engage with stakeholders and alumni to help raise funds that support programs such as professorships, scholarships, and even potentially funds to build new facilities.”
Carman said that the goal is to have the new dean selected and in place by July 1, 2022.
“What I want to see in the new dean is a responsiveness to the changing landscape of healthcare needs for the state of Wyoming in particular,” Carman said. “I’d like to see a dean that emphasizes the importance of research that is relevant to various disciplines within the college.”
Marvanova, Dean of the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana, made her presentation on Tuesday.
Warren, Director for the Center for Rural Health and Health Disparities at Mercer University School of Medicine, will give his presentation on Thursday at 3:00 at the Berry Biodiversity Center Auditorium.
