IUP Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Timothy Moerland has finalized the transition plan for leadership of the John J. and Char Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics following the April announcement by Kopchick College Dean Deanne Snavely of her plans to retire on June 4, 2021.
“I want to continue to offer our sincere appreciation and congratulations to Dr. Snavely on her upcoming retirement,” Moerland said. “She's been an incredible leader and has advanced the college on so many fronts. She will be sincerely missed.”
Moerland has asked Anne Kondo, professor and chair of the Madia Department of Chemistry, to serve as acting dean of the Kopchick College from June 5 through August 6. Starting on August 7, Distinguished University Professor Steven Hovan, a member of the Department of Geoscience, has been tapped to serve as interim dean of the Kopchick College until a national search for the position is launched and concluded.
“IUP is very fortunate to have incredibly talented and dedicated faculty who excel as scholars and educators and who are well suited for leadership. I want to thank both Dr. Kondo and Dr. Hovan in advance for their willingness to serve in these important roles. I am confident they will continue to move the Kopchick College forward in all ways,” Moerland said.
Kondo has been a member of the IUP faculty since 1997 and has been an active member of the IUP community, including serving as a member of the University Senate and on the advisory board of the Center for Teaching Excellence. She is a 2017 recipient of the Center's Collaborate Practice Faculty Recognition Award. Kondo was part of a group of IUP faculty members that received a $664,000 National Science Foundation grant for teaching teamwork and interpersonal skills.
“Dean Snavely has been a transformative dean of the Kopchick College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, centered around student success; helping faculty improve their teaching, scholarship, and service; and making the new science building a reality through collaborative discussions,” Kondo said. “I am honored to help ease the transition to the interim dean, Dr. Hovan, who I believe will carry on the dynamic vision of Dean Snavely.”
Hovan has been a member of the IUP faculty for 26 years, 14 years as chair of his department. For the last 18 months, he has worked as a program director at the National Science Foundation in Alexandria, Virginia.
Hovan has been a principal investigator on two successful NSF research awards and has conducted research on several ocean vessels funded by the NSF, involving IUP students on those expeditions. He has been published and presented extensively in his field throughout the United States and internationally. He was named a Distinguished University Professor in 2007; in 2010, he received the College Achievement Award for his continued commitment to the Kopchick College and students. He was also given the outstanding Achievement in Research Award from the School of Graduate Studies and Research in 2000.
“There are some exciting opportunities facing the college in the coming months, and I'm eager to be part of the transition,” Hovan said. “IUP NextGen has opened up many new possibilities for collaborations among faculty and programs in our college. In addition, we're all excited about planning to move to the new science building and how that will help transform how we prepare our students. I've enjoyed working with the NSF and hope to share some of the lessons I learned while there with my colleagues back home at IUP.”