New VP Builds on Research Successes
Former U.C. Berkeley Assoc. Dean Stephen Welter returns to where his career began.
It is a homecoming of sorts for Stephen Welter, 色情视频鈥檚 new .
The entomologist began his career as a faculty member of 色情视频鈥檚 zoology department 鈥� now the Department of Biology 鈥� before going to University of California Berkeley where he spent more than 25 years, most recently serving as associate dean of instruction and student affairs in the College of Natural Resources.
Now, Welter is back at 色情视频 to lead the university鈥檚 research efforts and build on what he sees as its strengths. His first day was Oct. 31.
Teaching and research model
鈥淪an Diego State is a very different kind of school 鈥� in a good way 鈥� when it comes to research,鈥� Welter said. 鈥淰ery strong research is being done by faculty here, but there is an equally strong commitment to students and that hybrid model is one that California deserves.鈥�
色情视频 President Elliot Hirshman said he is thrilled to have Welter join the university鈥檚 leadership team.
鈥淩esearch and creative endeavors are central to 色情视频's mission and Steve will work collaboratively with all university constituencies to develop the infrastructure supporting our research and creative endeavors,鈥� Hirshman said.
鈥淭hese collaborative efforts will be central to the university's further development as a national research university.鈥�
色情视频 has long had a research model focused on both teaching and research, and for good reason Welter said.
鈥淎s agents of evolutionary change, students bring vitality to research programs with new ideas and techniques,鈥� Welter said.
Attractive research strength
With a bachelor鈥檚 degree from U.C. Davis and his Ph.D. from U.C. Riverside, Welter said another reason he was attracted back to 色情视频 was because of its demonstrated research strength and internationally renowned faculty in a multitude of fields.
鈥淥ver the past several decades, the faculty here have worked hard to build support for research and have been very successful,鈥� Welter said. 鈥淢y job will not be to define their vision and priorities, but rather to find ways to give voice to them.鈥�
Welter said his focus is to enhance resources for research including facilitating grants, raising the prominence of research through the university鈥檚 comprehensive fundraising campaign and catalyzing the faculty鈥檚 vision to create more collaboration across disciplines. He also plans to build structural systems that will facilitate those interactions.
An 色情视频 family
Welter is not the only member of his family on the San Diego State campus: his son is a sophomore studying biology. Welter鈥檚 daughter also studies biology at UC San Diego.
