As the UW gears up for its transition to the Big Ten Conference for the 2024-25 academic year, the university’s integration into the prestigious Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) is also in full swing. Alongside its athletic endeavors, UW will participate in the BTAA’s leadership development programs with five department chairs and two deans selected as fellows for this prestigious program.
UW President Ana Mari Cauce highlighted the benefits of this transition. “The Big Ten is a thriving conference with strong athletic and academic traditions and we are excited and confident about competing at the highest level on a national stage. My top priority must be to do what is best for our student-athletes and our university and this move will help ensure a strong future for our athletics program.”
Beyond athletics, UW’s membership in the Big Ten includes participation in the BTAA—a consortium of research universities committed to advancing academic leadership and collaboration. The BTAA offers various programs designed to cultivate the next generation of university leaders. The University of Washington has selected seven leaders to join two of the BTAA’s flagship programs: the Deans Leadership Program (DLP) and the Department Executive Officer (DEO) Program.
These programs span the 2024-2025 academic year, providing immersive leadership experiences aimed at building leadership skills and competencies. The DLP focuses on new deans, guiding them through the critical challenges of their early years, while the DEO program is designed for department chairs to hone skills in conflict resolution, faculty development and communication.
Deans Leadership Program Fellows
Tamara Lawson, LL.M., J.D.
As the Toni Rembe Dean and Professor of Law at the UW School of Law, Tamara Lawson brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles including serving as dean at St. Thomas University College of Law in Miami. Her work extends beyond the classroom with leadership roles in national legal organizations and a history of advocacy on issues such as criminal justice and race.
Michael Spencer, PhD
Dean of the UW School of Social Work, Michael Spencer is the university’s first Native Hawaiian dean. His career has focused on Indigenous health and social welfare with his work at the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute underscoring his commitment to advancing health equity for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.
Department Executive Officer Program Fellows
Whasun Oh Chung, PhD
Chair of the Department of Oral Health Sciences, Dr. Chung is a longtime faculty member at the UW School of Dentistry. Known for her research in oral health, she has also played a key role in mentoring students and guiding the department’s research agenda.
Princess Imoukhuede, PhD
As the Hunter and Dorothy Simpson Endowed Chair of Bioengineering, Dr. Imoukhuede is a trailblazer in her field. She is the first African American woman to earn a PhD in bioengineering from Caltech and has received numerous awards for her contributions to biomedical engineering.
Janine Jones, PhD, NCSP
Dr. Jones, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of School Psychology, focuses her work on culturally responsive interventions for students of color. Her research seeks to bridge gaps in educational equity through resilience-building and emotional interventions.
Adrian KC Lee, ScD
Chair of the Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, Dr. Lee leads research that examines the brain’s processing of sound. His interdisciplinary work blending neuroscience and engineering explores how attention and auditory processing can be applied in next-generation brain-computer interfaces.
Bart Nijssen, PhD
Chair of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Dr. Nijssen’s research in hydrology and commitment to addressing global challenges such as climate change make him a vital leader in the field. His leadership focuses on creating an inclusive and equitable learning environment for the next generation of engineers.
These seven fellows will represent the University of Washington in the Big Ten Academic Alliance during the 2024-2025 academic year, engaging in programs that will shape their leadership within academia and beyond.
Story filed by Courtney Laguio, Assistant Communications Director for the Office of Academic Personnel