Date: June 10, 2021
TO: The FAS Community
FROM: Andrew Hamilton, President; Katherine Fleming, Provost and Antonio Merlo, FAS Dean

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Lynne Kiorpes as Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science.

Many of you know Lynne well. She has been a faculty member at NYU for more than 35 years and has served as Vice Dean of GSAS for the past three years. A professor of neural science and psychology and Collegiate Professor for the College of Arts and Science (CAS), her research seeks to understand the neural mechanisms that underlie the development of visual function, with a focus on originating preventative and therapeutic interventions for amblyopia, a persistent problem in pediatric ophthalmology. She has secured over $16 million in research grants, most recently a 5-year, $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the development of function in extrastriate visual cortex as principal investigator. Lynne has served as the National Institute of Mental Health-funded Graduate Training Program Director in neuroscience since 2005. She is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the University Distinguished Teaching Medal (2003), a James S. McDonnell Foundation Scholar Award (2007), and an Executive Leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering Program Fellowship (2015). Lynne received her BS with honors in physiological psychology from Northeastern University, and her PhD in physiological psychology from the University of Washington.

Known not just for scholarship but also for her collegiality and her dedication as a University citizen, she is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in all its forms, having served as an NYU Global Inclusion Officer, a member of the Dean’s Committee on Diversity, and the inaugural faculty director for the CAS Women in Science Initiative. We know she will build on the current momentum to increase awareness and understanding around these issues in collaboration with students, faculty and staff.

Lynne takes on this assignment at an important moment, a time when we must ensure that graduate education is responsive to the needs of graduate students and the demands of a rapidly changing employment landscape. Drawing on input from students and faculty, GSAS must focus on preparing students for success in the workplace with high quality mentorship, professional development and training, program offerings that reflect the needs of current and emerging industries, enhanced collaboration across programs, supporting faculty with targeted development opportunities, and supporting departments and programs to meet their educational objectives.

We would also like to recognize the enormous contribution of Susan Antón, who successfully shepherded GSAS through the worst of the pandemic as Interim Dean. Susan stepped in without hesitation and led with distinction, and our gratitude for her service cannot be overstated.

Please join us in welcoming Lynne Kiorpes in her new role. We are confident GSAS will be in good hands with Lynne as Dean.