Associate Provost Transition

June 6, 2008
L. Rafael Reif, Provost, 2005–2012 |

Dear MIT Community,

I am writing to announce that Professor Martin Schmidt has agreed to succeed Professor Lorna Gibson as Associate Provost.

After taking a sabbatical next year, Professor Gibson will return to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, where she is the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor. During her tenure as Associate Provost, she oversaw the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research from program development through to the beginning of construction. Working with Vice President for Human Resources Alison Alden and her staff, as well as the staff in the Provost's office, Professor Gibson helped develop the recently announced program for faculty renewal. In addition, she chaired the Advisory Council on Neuroscience overseeing faculty searches. To each of these vitally important efforts, she brought thoughtful, farsighted judgment, and we are very grateful for all of her many contributions.

In his new role, Professor Schmidt will chair the Committee for the Review of Space Planning (CRSP), with oversight for space planning, allocation and renovations across the Institute and also manage faculty development, renewal, and grievance policies and procedures. A member of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, he has been a faculty member at the Institute since he graduated with his PhD from MIT in 1988. His teaching and research is in the areas of micro and nanofabrication of sensors, actuators, and electronic devices, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), design of micromechanical sensors and actuators, and micro/nanofabrication technology. Professor Schmidt's appointment will be effective July 1, 2008. I look forward to working with him to build on the strong foundation Professor Gibson helped establish.

Please join me in thanking Lorna for her service and leadership, and in congratulating Martin on his new role.

Sincerely,

L. Rafael Reif
Provost