Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Candidates

Tim Elgren is currently the Chief Research Officer at UNC Asheville. He received a BA in chemistry from Hamline University and Ph.D. in chemistry from Dartmouth College. Before coming to Asheville in 2019, he served as Chief Academic Officer, Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Professor of Chemistry at Oberlin College. He also spent 21 years at Hamilton College where he held faculty and administrative roles and retired as Emeritus Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He served three terms as a councilor Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and served a term as the CUR president. With his free time, Tim enjoys fly fishing, fly tying, woodworking, and enjoying time exploring rivers and mountains with his wife, daughter, son, friends, and dog.

Interview dates: March 26-28

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Dr. Donald Peterson is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and served as Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology at Northern Illinois University from 2017 to 2023.  He is an affiliated faculty member in Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M and a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.  He is a Guest Researcher at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and a Visiting Professor in the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research at the University of Southampton in the UK.  He is currently Chair of the US Technical Advisory Group for ISO / TC 108 on Mechanical Vibration, Shock, and Condition Monitoring, the Chair of ANSI S2 WG39, and S3 WG39, both on Human Exposure to Mechanical Vibration and Shock, and the recent Inaugural Chair of the ASTM International Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits.  Dr. Peterson also served as Dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Nursing at Texas A&M University in Texarkana.  He was an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Director of the Biodynamics Laboratory in the School of Medicine at the University of Connecticut and served as the Chair of Biomedical Engineering in the School of Engineering.  He was the co-Executive Director of the Biomedical Engineering Alliance and Consortium, which was a nonprofit organization supporting the development of new medical technologies.  Dr. Peterson research interests are in injury mechanisms, human-device interaction, and new technologies involving personal protective equipment and human exoskeletons.  Dr. Peterson has published over 135 peer-reviewed scholarly works and is the Editor-in-Chief for The Biomedical Engineering Handbook by CRC Press.  As a first-gen student, he received his BS from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Aerospace Engineering and Biomedical Engineering and his MS in Mechanical Engineering and PhD in Biomedical Engineering from UCONN.

Interview dates: April 1-3

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Alyssa Kiesow, Ph.D., serves as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and director of sponsored projects at Northern State University. As dean, her work is centered on the college mission for liberal arts and sciences. Previously, she was the chair of the science and mathematics department. Kiesow remains a tenured professor with research in genetics and STEM equity. She promotes research and economic development at Northern and within the South Dakota Board of Regents system through her role as director of sponsored projects. Kiesow received her A.A. in liberal arts from Winona State University, B.S. and M.S. in biology from South Dakota State University, and Ph.D. in biology from the University of South Dakota.

Interview dates: April 7-9

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Dr. Philip J. Parker currently serves as the Acting Dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. In this role, he is the chief academic officer and chief executive officer for a college of approximately 2,500 undergraduate students, 100 graduate students, and 150 employees (including 85 faculty members). The college offers 21 undergraduate majors, an online Master of Science in Engineering, and a robust distance engineering program.

In serving this college, he manages an annual budget of approximately $10M, taking care to do so in a transparent manner that is respectful of shared governance. Under his leadership, the College of EMS has recorded three of its four highest years of fundraised revenue and has established several endowed scholarships.

Dr. Parker's leadership style is characterized by a genuine commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for students, faculty, and staff. With a focus on accessibility and innovation, he has played a pivotal role in expanding and modernizing academic programs and forging partnerships with industry stakeholders, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for success throughout their careers.

Dr. Parker remains active in scholarship, continuing to make meaningful contributions to the effective implementation of innovative teaching methodologies and the advancement of infrastructure engineering knowledge and pedagogy. His collaborative spirit has led to fruitful partnerships both within the walls of the university and beyond, enriching the academic experience for students and fostering impactful research endeavors. His leadership in national initiatives reflects his dedication to advancing STEM education on a broader scale.

A first-generation college student, Dr. Parker earned his PhD in Environmental Engineering from Clarkson University.

Interview dates: April 9-11

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