Samuel Mukasa, the third of four finalists selected in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s search for its next executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, will participate in a public presentation from 3 to 4 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Nebraska Union Auditorium.
Mukasa serves as senior executive for global initiatives at the University of Minnesota. He has served as dean of the colleges of science and engineering at the University of New Hampshire and University of Minnesota for a total of seven years.
In the roles as dean, he was leader of the second-largest college at each of the two institutions, spanning nine and 12 departments, respectively. He provided strategic and intellectual leadership and administrative oversight as well as advancing research, teaching, and service.
For 21 years of his career, Mukasa was department chair and professor of geochemistry at the University of Michigan. Both as chair and as dean, he led development of strategic plans, launched new undergraduate degree programs, and championed faculty cluster hiring initiatives to enhance interdisciplinary scholarship.
Mukasa holds a doctorate in geochemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a Master of Science in geology from Ohio State University; and a Bachelor of Science in geology from the University of New Hampshire. He did his postdoctoral research fellowship at Columbia University in New York.
He has served as president of the Geochemical Society and in leadership positions for programs at the National Science Foundation and National Academy of Sciences focused on polar climate issues. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Geological Society of America.
The executive vice chancellor is the university’s academic leader with the mission of achieving academic excellence across the institution. The position reports directly to the chancellor and, working with the academic deans, will assure pursuit of excellence through oversight of undergraduate teaching and learning; diversity and inclusion; enrollment management; education abroad; faculty development; global outreach; graduate mentoring; libraries, promotion and tenure; student affairs; and by developing innovating academic initiatives that will be recognized as unique signature strengths.
Candidates who already visited campus are: Laurie Nichols, interim president of Black Hills State University; and Elizabeth Spiller, dean of the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Davis.
The remaining finalist and dates on campus is:
- Oct. 14-16 — John Wiencek, executive vice president and provost, University of Idaho. Wiencek’s public presentation is Oct. 15.
The candidates, selected through a national search, participate in multiple-day interviews, including public presentations and receptions. A free, open-to-the-public reception follows each public presentation.
An online feedback form for each candidate is available online. Learn more about the search.
