University Of Massachusetts Amherst Expert Named Interim Provost And Senior Vice Chancellor For Academic Affairs

Michael Malone, currently vice chancellor for research and engagement, has been named to serve as interim provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs. A national search for a permanent provost will be launched in the new academic year.

In a joint message to the campus community, Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy and Chancellor-Elect Javier Reyes said, “During this transitional period, Dr. Malone’s extensive knowledge of our community and his commitment to excellence will be invaluable in sustaining the progress and momentum that UMass Amherst has achieved over the past decade. He places a high value on working with colleagues across campus and making decisions in a collaborative fashion to chart our path forward.”

Malone has served UMass Amherst with distinction for more than four decades as a teacher, researcher and administrator. He joined the university’s chemical engineering faculty in 1980 after earning his Ph.D. from UMass Amherst. He went on to become dean of the College of Engineering and was subsequently appointed vice chancellor for research and engagement in 2009. He was also the first Ronnie and Eugene M. Isenberg Distinguished Professor of Engineering, a position devoted to enhancing interdisciplinary teaching and research among the fields of management, engineering and science. Under his leadership as vice chancellor, the university has greatly strengthened its research infrastructure, sponsored funding and impactful results, with a special emphasis on translational research.

At UMass Amherst, his honors include the Distinguished Teaching Award, the campus’ highest honor for classroom instruction; the Samuel F. Conti Faculty Fellowship; and the Outstanding Senior Faculty Award and the General Electric Outstanding Teaching Award, both given by the College of Engineering. He was a visiting scientist at the DuPont Company in 1984 and 1993-94. In 2004, he was named a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

The university will also be appointing an interim vice chancellor for research and engagement shortly, following a brief consultation process.