Edward Berger, associate dean of the faculty for graduate studies, will succeed James Wright as dean of the faculty effective July 1, the College announced yesterday.
Berger, a professor of biology at the College since 1975 and dean of graduate studies since 1994, will oversee the three divisions of the curriculum of arts and sciences -- humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. In his new position he will be responsible for approximately 340 tenured and tenure-track faculty in nearly 40 departments and academic programs.
College President James Freedman praised the new appointee, calling him an "outstanding person" who should continue the "very strong leadership in the dean's office."
During Berger's four-year term, he said he plans to "just follow in [Wright's] footsteps, even though they're three sizes bigger than mine."
Wright in turn praised Berger's appointment.
Predicting Berger will be "a superb dean of the faculty," Wright said his successor "brings the values and interests that will serve the faculty of the arts and sciences very well."
Wright, who has been dean of the faculty since 1989, will assume the full-time duties of acting provost, a position he has held since former Provost Lee Bollinger left in January to become president of the University of Michigan. Wright is expected to serve as acting provost until mid-1998.
As a potential candidate for the position, Berger interviewed with a search committee that sent the names of several acceptable applicants to Freedman. The president selected Berger from this pool.
Berger currently teaches an introductory and a graduate biology course, and is involved in research on the genetic basis of insect development and bioethics.
He has co-authored 95 publications on his research, which has been funded in the past by the National Institute of Health, the National Science Foundation, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Fund for Improvement of Post-Secondary Education.
Prior to coming to Dartmouth, Berger -- who received his doctorate in genetics from Syracuse University -- did two years of post-doctoral research at Harvard University and the University of Chicago and worked for four years as an assistant professor at the State University of New York at Albany.
Berger twice served as chair of the biology department.
