Howard Grimes, interim dean of the Graduate School since July 1, 2002, was named on April 15 to permanently fill that post.
“I am very pleased that Howard Grimes has accepted the position,” said Robert Bates, provost and academic vice president. “His experience and leadership in graduate education, combined with a solid record in funded research and administration, will serve him well in his new role.”
In addition to acting as interim dean of the Graduate School, Grimes previously served as the associate director of graduate programs, professor of the School of Molecular Biosciences and co-chair of the plant physiology program.
Grimes own research focuses on the biochemistry of membrane transport proteins and the structure, function, and regulation of lipoxy-genases — enzymes involved in lipid metabolism and in the generation of a wide array of signaling molecules. Both of these areas, in broad terms, directly impact plant productivity and are important targets for genetic manipulation. Grimes is also a training faculty member for both NIH and NSF funded programs.
Grimes’ graduate experience includes work at the department, school and university level and membership on numerous committees:
• Graduate School Evaluation Committee for Summer Graduate RA Awards (1995 – 96, 1997 – 98)
• Graduate Studies Committee (1997 – 99)
• Co-chair and chair of Graduate Studies Committee (1998 – 2000)
• Chair of the Associate Dean of the Graduate School Search Committee (1999 – 2000).
Grimes earned his master’s degree in plant pathology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and his Ph.D. in botany from North Carolina State University.
