Jim Pfaendtner has been selected as the next executive vice chancellor and provost of NC State, effective May 11. Pfaendtner was previously the dean of the College of Engineering.
The executive vice chancellor and provost serves as NC State’s chief academic officer and oversees the University’s academic programming, aiming to make the University a leader in higher education.
Pfaendtner was chosen from a pool of three finalists, including Glenda Gillapsy, the dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Kemper Lewis, the dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York and Pfaendtner.
A key aspect of the search process was finding a candidate who could alter the office’s role to fit the needs of a modern student.
“At a land-grant institution, our mission is to expand opportunity, serve our communities and tackle real-world challenges,” Pfaendtner said. “As provost, I’m committed to strengthening and supporting impactful research and ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute.”
Chancellor Kevin Howell praised Pfaendtner’s performance as dean of the College of Engineering, highlighting steps to fulfill the Engineering North Carolina’s Future initiative. The initiative aims to prepare the university to accept 4,000 more students in engineering and computer science.
During his time as dean, Pfaendtner emphasized the importance of mental health and supporting students, drawing on his own struggles with mental health throughout his life.
Pfaendtner served as the University of Washington’s first associate vice provost for research computing as well as the chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the university. Pfaendtner also worked as postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich and the University of Utah.
Prior to obtaining a doctorate in chemical engineering from Northwestern University, Pfaendtner worked as an engineer for 3M and graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
In a LinkedIn post, Pfaendtner thanked Howell and the Board of Trustees.
“I am so thankful for the support and trust of Chancellor Kevin Howell and our Board of Trustees. This is an amazing opportunity at an incredible institution. I told our board this morning, ‘I don’t know what our full potential as a university is, but I am so excited to help us get there,’” Pfaendtner said.
In an email sent to students and faculty within the College of Engineering, Pfaendter announced that an interim dean for the college would be announced in the coming days.
This is a developing story.
