NC State Names Three Finalists For Provost

North Carolina State University’s national search for a new provost is down to three finalists.  The candidates will visit campus for a final round of interviews and an open forum during the month of November.

Following are candidate bios and the dates they will visit campus:

Robert T. McGrath, Nov. 8-10
Since 2008, McGrath has served in various roles with Battelle Memorial Institute and its affiliates, managing national laboratory acquisition, operations and university partnerships. From 2004 to 2008, he served as senior vice president for research, professor of materials science engineering, and professor of physics at Ohio State University.  Prior to 2004, McGrath was associate vice president for research, director of strategic and interdisciplinary initiatives, and professor of engineering science at Penn State University.  He received his Ph.D. in nuclear science and engineering from the University of Michigan and holds an M.A. in mathematics, M.S. in physics, and B.S. in engineering sciences from Penn State.

Warwick A. Arden, Nov. 10-12
Arden has served as interim provost and executive vice chancellor at NC State University since May 2009, following five years as dean of NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and professor of clinical sciences.  Prior to joining NC State, Arden served as professor and head of the department of veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  He held prior academic appointments at the University of Kentucky, Michigan State University, and the University of Sydney.  He received his Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. in physiology from Michigan State University, and B.V.Sc. in veterinary medicine from the University of Sydney.  Arden recently served as president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.

Cathryn R. Newton, Nov. 17-19
Newton is currently professor of interdisciplinary sciences, professor of earth sciences, and dean emerita at Syracuse University.  Between 2000 and 2008, she led Syracuse University’s largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences.  Previously, she was Jessie Page Heroy Professor of Geology and chair of the department of earth sciences from 1993 to 2000, and co-founding director of the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) at Syracuse from 1997-2001.  Newton earned a Ph.D. in earth sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz, an M.S. in geology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.A. in geology from Duke University.

A committee of faculty, staff and students worked over the summer and fall to narrow the field of applicants.  More information on the candidates and the interview schedule is available at www.ncsu.edu/provostsearch/.