University of Vermont

Two senior members of the University of Vermont College of Medicine faculty recently accepted leadership roles at the University. In February, Jason Bates, Ph.D., D.Sc., professor of medicine and molecular physiology and biophysics, was appointed interim director of the School of Engineering (SoE) in the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences (CEMS). A March 15 announcement reported that Cynthia Forehand, Ph.D., professor of anatomy and neurobiology, has been appointed associate dean of the Graduate College, effective July 1, 2010.

Bates, a world-class researcher with significant scientific publications and an excellent record of external funding, will split his time between his continuing research activities in the College of Medicine's Vermont Lung Center and his new role as the interim director of the SoE, which began on February 22.

"I am pleased with Dr. Bates' acceptance of this appointment," says Chip Cole, interim dean of CEMS. "His teaching and mentoring of UVM students in a wide range of disciplines, coupled with his interest in complex systems, makes this appointment a strong link for the SoE and our College."

A bioengineer, Bates' research focuses primarily on the mechanics of lung function, which involves the development and application of new technologies that help address lung disease issues through work involving the measurement and modeling of lung function. His research has led to three patents and a role in the establishment of two Canadian companies. Bates, who holds a bachelor's degree with honors in physics from Canterbury University in New Zealand, earned a Ph.D. in medicine from Otago University in New Zealand and a D.Sc. degree from Canterbury University. Prior to joining UVM n 1999, he served on the faculty at McGill University, where he rose to the rank of professor of medicine and biomedical engineering, and also served a term as associate director of the Meakins-Christie Laboratories. Bates is an associate editor for the Journal of Applied Physiology, an elected fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and an elected senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

In her new role, Forehand will work with the graduate faculty and staff to continue efforts in creating and sustaining an environment in which UVM becomes nationally competitive in the recruitment and retention of a highly diverse, world-class graduate student population — with new emphases on UVM leadership in emerging, transdisciplinary research areas. UVM's Graduate College is home to over 1500 students enrolled in 52 master's degree programs and 22 doctoral programs. Forehand will continue to teach and mentor students as well as serve in a slightly reduced capacity as director of the College of Medicine's Foundations Level of the Vermont Integrated Curriculum. She will step down from her roles as chair of the Neuroscience Graduate Program's curriculum and tracking committee, first-year advisor and member of the steering committee; she will also discontinue all of her Faculty Senate roles.

Domenico Grasso, Ph.D., dean of UVM's Graduate College, noted Forehand's "exemplary leadership in graduate education at the University," a sentiment echoed by UVM Provost Jane Knodell, Ph.D., who added that "her commitment to academic excellence, coupled with her in-depth knowledge of the University's curriculum, make her ideally suited for the important work she will undertake."

Forehand received a Ph.D. in neurobiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and completed postdoctoral training in the department of anatomy and neurobiology at Washington University in St Louis. She joined the UVM faculty in 1987 and has been a member of the graduate faculty since 1988. Her research interests are in brain and spinal cord development, with a focus on the autonomic nervous system. Forehand is co-director of UVM's Center for Biomedical Research Excellence in Neuroscience at UVM. She is actively involved in graduate education as a mentor and served in a variety of service roles in the former anatomy and neurobiology doctoral program and was a founding member of the newly established university-wide Neuroscience Graduate Program. Her graduate program knowledge includes years of service on the Curricular Affairs Committee of the UVM Faculty Senate and as the co-chair of the self-study committee for the Academic Programs Standard (4) for the recent NEASC accreditation of UVM.