Search committee formed to identify next Krieger School dean

A 21-person, universitywide search committee has been formed to identify the next leader of Johns Hopkins University's Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. Beverly Wendland, who has served for the past five years as dean of the Krieger School, was recently named the next provost of Washington University in St. Louis. She will assume her new role in July.

John Toscano, professor of chemistry and vice dean for natural sciences at Johns Hopkins, will serve as interim dean beginning July 1 until Wendland's successor is appointed. Toscano joined the Hopkins faculty in 1995 and has twice served as chair of the Department of Chemistry.

Image caption: John Toscano

Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

Wendland joined the Hopkins faculty in 1998 and is an accomplished biology scholar, dedicated educator, and widely admired academic leader. Under her leadership, the Krieger School increased its tenure-track faculty by 11% and increased sponsored research by more than 25%. She has advocated for innovative approaches to teaching and liberal arts education, overseeing the Krieger School's recent efforts to strengthen and personalize undergraduate education. She has also been a champion of diversity and inclusion, developing and supporting strategies to enhance hiring practices and bolster graduate student pipelines to diversify the school's faculty and students.

Provost Sunil Kumar will chair the committee that will help find Wendland's successor. The executive search firm Isaacson, Miller will work closely with the university committee to develop a candidate pool and facilitate the process. Members of the Johns Hopkins community are encouraged to share thoughts and/or confidential nominations with the search firm.

The members of the search committee are:

• Chair: Sunil Kumar, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs
• Anthony (Tony) Anderson, vice chair, Johns Hopkins University board of trustees
• Hal Brands, Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)
• Christopher Cannon, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of English and Classics, chair of the Department of Classics, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Boi Carpenter, senior associate vice president for development and alumni relations
• Stephen Desiderio, professor emeritus of molecular biology and genetics and professor emeritus of medicine, School of Medicine
• Greg Duffee, Carl Christ Professor of Economics, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Roger Faxon, member of the Johns Hopkins University board of trustees
• Bertrand Garcia-Moreno, Professor and Chair of the Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Steven Gross, professor and chair of the William H. Miller III Department of Philosophy, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Hahrie Han, Inaugural Director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute and Professor of Political Science, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Martha Jones, Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and Professor of History, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Nancy Kass, vice provost for graduate and professional education, professor of health policy and management, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Berman Institute of Bioethics
• Geraldine Legendre, professor and chair of the Department of Cognitive Science, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Jaanvi Mahesh, undergraduate student, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Ellen MacKenzie, dean of the Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Maureen Marsh, secretary of the Johns Hopkins board of trustees
• Jasmin Perez, PhD candidate and member of the PhD Advisory Committee, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Mary Jo Salter, Krieger-Eisenhower professor, Writing Seminars, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Darlene Saporu, assistant dean for diversity and inclusion, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and Whiting School of Engineering
• Alanna Shanahan, vice provost for student affairs