NYU Welcomes New Leaders

Clockwise from top left: Charles N. Bertolami, dean of NYU’s College of Dentistry; Susanne Wofford, dean of the Gallatin School; Robert I. Grossman, dean of the NYU School of Medicine; and Roger Bagnall, director of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World

Marking an exciting new phase in NYU’s evolution, the newly established Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at NYU appointed a director, and three NYU schools—The College of Dentistry, The School of Medicine, and The Gallatin School of Individualized Study—welcomed new deans. With the long, impressive list of accomplishments achieved by each, they are sure to raise the bar of excellence at the university.

On September 1, Charles N. Bertolami became the 14th dean of NYU’s College of Dentistry—the largest dental school in the country. During his 12-year tenure as dean of the University of California– San Francisco School of Dentistry, Bertolami was influential in enhancing UCSF’s research capacity, clinical and teaching programs, and overall funding. His steadfast direction propelled UCSF School of Dentistry to lead the nation in overall NIH funding for dental schools. In addition to leading UCSF’s School of Dentistry, Bartolami has also held posts at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and has won numerous awards for his excellence in both research and education.

“I never thought I would leave the University of California, but I was absolutely astonished by the quality and character of the faculty, the students, the staff, and the senior administration at NYU.
I was completely unprepared for their excellence, their commitment, and their vision,” said Bertolami. “The opportunity to help build on the legacy of prior dean, Mike Alfano, and to work with Terry Fulmer, dean of the College of Nursing, in one of the most innovative relationships in the health professions, was too good to pass up. NYU is where the action is—and it will remain so for the foreseeable future.”

While Dr. Bertolami comes to NYU from California, the new dean of the NYU School of Medicine, Robert I. Grossman, has been a part of the NYU community since 2001. Grossman previously served as the chairman of the Department of Radiology and as a professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Physiology and Neuroscience at the School. In addition to leading the School of Medicine, Grossman has also been named the new CEO of the New York University Hospitals Center. He assumed both positions on July 1st. 

A prolific and highly respected scientist, Grossman has been awarded numerous awards and been appointed to several professional councils. In 2004, he was the first recipient of the American Society of Neuroradiology Education and Research Foundation’s annual Outstanding Contributions in Research Award, and he is currently president of the American Society of Neuroradiology. Grossman has also authored over 300 publications and four books, and is editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Grossman’s previous history with the NYU Medical Center will be a very valuable asset as he begins his tenure as dean.

“Since coming to NYU in 2001, I have been privileged to collaborate with the most highly talented and caring clinicians and scientists, all of whom are committed to NYU’s strong culture of integrity and pride,” said Grossman. “This is a crucial time in academic medicine, and I am honored to be entrusted with the opportunity to build on the extraordinary strengths of this Medical Center, and to encourage the full expression of all the talent that is here.”

Dean Susanne Wofford, a scholar of English, took the helm of the Gallatin School of Individualized Studies on July 1st after an extensive two year nation-wide search. She will also hold an associated appointment with the Department of English in NYU’s Faculty of Arts and Science.

Wofford previously served as the Mark Eccles Professor of English and the director of the Center for the Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She has also taught at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Wofford has received many honors, and has been widely published. Her books include The Choice of Achilles: The Ideology of Figure in the Epic, the co-edited volume Epic Traditions in the Contemporary World: The Politics of Community, Shakespeare: The Late Tragedies, and Hamlet: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism.

“I am very excited to begin my tenure at the Gallatin School, and to be leading an institution devoted to the kinds of interdisciplinary learning and public outreach that have always appealed to me as a scholar,” said Wofford. “Gallatin truly embodies NYU's special relation to New York City, and I find the School’s combination of interdisciplinary inquiry with the encouragement of course work both in the many great schools of NYU and in the city to be an inspiring example of the value of public intellectual life.”

Wofford received her B.A. from Yale, her B.Phil. in general and comparative literature from Oxford University, and her M.Phil. and Ph.D. in comparative literature from Yale. 

Roger Bagnall assumed his duties as the director of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World this July. The creation of the Institute, a center for advanced studies and doctoral education that was funded by a $200-million gift from the Leon Levy Foundation. Professor Bagnall comes to the post from Columbia University, where he has appointments in both the Department of History and the Department of Classics. He is the Jay Professor of Greek and Latin Languages, a world-renowned papyrologist, the former graduate dean, and the former chair of the Classics Department.

“The Institute offers a unique opportunity to pursue the study of antiquity in an environment where the boundaries of disciplines, regions, and linguistic communities are not allowed to obscure relationships and continuities. Building a faculty and student body to realize this vision will be extraordinarily challenging and fascinating,” Bagnall said. “I am grateful to the university, the foundation, and the search committee for offering me and the entire community of ancient studies the possibility of doing something so stimulating.”

Bagnall has published extensively. His many books and articles include: Egypt in Late Antiquity (Princeton 1993); The Demography of Roman Egypt (Cambridge 1994, with Bruce Frier); Reading Papyri, Writing Ancient History (London 1995); and The Hellenistic Period: Historic Sources in Translation (Oxford 2004, with P.S. Derow).

“Over the years, NYU has undergone and amazing transformation. It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome four leaders who’ve emerged as the finest choices to fuel NYU’s momentum and continue our path of achievement for a new era,” said NYU President John Sexton.

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