Patrick Dussault has been named acting dean of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's College of Arts and Sciences, pending approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
Katherine Ankerson, executive vice chancellor, made the announcement on Nov. 25 following the announcement that Mark Button had been selected as interim executive vice chancellor for the university.
"Pat has served UNL for over three decades as a professor and in academic administrative roles," Ankerson said. "Pat’s deep knowledge and prior experience are tremendous benefits as he steps into the acting dean role, and I am grateful for his willingness to serve the university in this capacity."
A professor of chemistry, Dussault has been with the university since 1988. He served as chair of the chemistry department from 2001-2007, dean of graduate studies from 2011-12, and has been the associate dean for faculty in the college since 2020. He is well known for his distinguished contributions to the chemistry of organic peroxides, including synthesis of peroxide-containing natural products and innovative peroxide-mediated oxidation transformations.
He is currently part of a collaborative team of investigators from UNL, UNMC, and the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute that seeks improved radioprotectants. The work, which involves the Nebraska Drug Discovery and Development Pipeline, is funded by the Department of Defense through the National Strategic Research Institute.
"I am deeply honored to serve as acting dean for the arts and sciences faculty, staff, and students, and ensure continued momentum on the college's and university's strategic priorities," Dussault said.
Dussault earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry from University of California at Irvine and his doctorate in organic chemistry from California Institute of Technology. Before joining UNL, he was a National Cancer Institute postdoctoral fellow at Duke University.
