Chemistry Chair Appointed
CAS Prof John Straub is the chemistry department’s new chair.
John Straub, a College of Arts and Sciences professor of chemistry, is the department’s new chair, effective this fall.
“I was nominated by the faculty to serve, which of course is an honor,” says Straub, recipient of a 2005 Metcalf Award for Excellence in Teaching, one of the University’s highest teaching honors. He succeeds Guilford Jones, also a CAS professor of chemistry.
“It is my role to provide leadership in the department,” Straub says. “I hope to work with faculty and staff to fulfill our teaching mission and make the most of the opportunities that present themselves.”
Straub, who will serve a three-year term, looks forward to hiring new faculty and staff members and taking a closer look at the design of the chemistry programs, particularly the undergraduate curriculum. “Students are entering college increasingly more knowledgeable and well-prepared,” he says.
“The upper-level undergraduate courses should reflect current cutting-edge topics in chemical research,” he continues. He says he wants to see BU students “at the forefront of knowledge as they go on to graduate work.”
Although Straub will take the fall semester off from teaching, he will resume his teaching duties in the spring.
Rebecca McNamara can be reached at ramc@bu.edu.