Starting a faculty appointment at a major research university means learning how to navigate a wide network of resources, opportunities, and collaborators. We’ve arranged for a way that you can begin this process within Faculty Welcome Week and New Faculty Onboarding events. Day 1 of New Faculty Onboarding on September 10 introduces new faculty to campus leaders whose work supports research, innovation, teaching, scholarly communication, graduate education, and faculty success across the University of Washington.
Throughout the day, faculty will hear from a variety of university leaders and campus partners. Below is a preview of just a few of the featured speakers participating in the virtual program.
Mari Ostendorf
Vice Provost for Research
Mari Ostendorf serves as the University of Washington’s Vice Provost for Research, a role she assumed in 2021. She is an Endowed Professor of System Design Methodologies in Electrical & Computer Engineering and previously served as Associate Vice Provost for Research, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Engineering, and Associate Chair for Research in Electrical & Computer Engineering. She also holds adjunct appointments in Computer Science & Engineering and Linguistics.
A nationally recognized researcher in speech and language technology, Ostendorf’s work focuses on dynamic and context-aware models for understanding and generating speech and text, with current research emphasizing conversational artificial intelligence. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2021 and is a Fellow of the IEEE, the International Speech Communication Association, and the Association for Computational Linguistics.
During New Faculty Onboarding, Ostendorf will introduce faculty to the Office of Research and the many resources available to support scholarship, funding, compliance, and research development at the UW.
François Baneyx
Vice Provost for Innovation and Director, CoMotion
François Baneyx has served as UW’s Vice Provost for Innovation and Director of CoMotion since 2019. He is the H. Harry and R. Metta Rehnberg Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering, an adjunct professor of Bioengineering and Materials Science & Engineering, and an internationally recognized authority on protein production technologies and the biological fabrication of advanced materials.
His innovation leadership focuses on building connections among the university, industry, government, nonprofits, and regional and global innovation ecosystems. As Director of CoMotion, Baneyx oversees intellectual property protection and licensing, entrepreneurship training, and funding and mentorship programs that support startup creation and commercialization.
Faculty attending Day 1 will learn how CoMotion helps researchers translate discoveries and creative work into real-world impact through innovation support, funding opportunities, mentorship, and industry partnerships.
Joy Williamson-Lott
Dean of the Graduate School
Joy Williamson-Lott serves as Dean of the University of Washington Graduate School. A professor of higher education in the College of Education, she is an accomplished scholar whose research examines the history of American higher education, the Black freedom struggle, and the pursuit of equity and access in educational institutions.
Williamson-Lott is the author of several influential books on Black higher educational history, including Jim Crow Campus: Higher Education and the Struggle for a New Southern Social Order. Her teaching and scholarship explore education as a moral endeavor, the evolving meanings of educational opportunity and liberation, and the educational experiences and histories of people of color. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for both her research and teaching excellence, including receiving the University of Washington’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the Mildred Garcia Award for Early Career Exemplary Scholarship from the Association for the Study of Higher Education.
During New Faculty Onboarding, Williamson-Lott will introduce faculty to the Graduate School’s mission and resources, highlighting opportunities that support graduate education, mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the success of graduate students across the University of Washington.
Verletta Kern
Director, Open Scholarship & Publishing and Arts & Humanities, UW Libraries
Verletta Kern’s work centers on connecting researchers with the people, services, and expertise they need to advance their scholarly projects. In discussing her role, she has described serving as a connector who helps faculty and students navigate questions related to digital scholarship, copyright, publishing, preservation, and access.
Kern has also emphasized the role of open scholarship and knowledge sharing, focusing on how research can reach broader audiences beyond the academy and how libraries can support researchers throughout the scholarly communication process.
Together with UW Libraries colleagues, she will introduce resources designed to strengthen faculty research, teaching, publishing, and scholarly impact.
Fredrick M. Nafukho
Vice Provost for Academic Personnel & Faculty
Fredrick M. Nafukho serves as Vice Provost for the Office for Academic Personnel & Faculty and is Professor of Management and Organization in the Foster School of Business, Presidential Term Professor, and Adjunct Professor in the College of Education.
In his role as Vice Provost, Nafukho partners with academic units across the university to advance faculty and academic personnel success. His office supports faculty development, leadership development, faculty affairs, and initiatives that foster academic excellence and a welcoming environment for teaching, research, mentoring, and service.
During the opening session, Nafukho will introduce the Office for Academic Personnel & Faculty and discuss how the office supports faculty throughout their UW careers.
Join Us and Make the Most of Faculty Welcome Week
New Faculty Onboarding is one component of Faculty Welcome Week, a series of events designed for new faculty across all ranks, tracks, and disciplines.
Faculty Welcome Week also includes the Teaching@UW New Faculty Program, held September 8-9, 2026, and hosted by the Center for Teaching and Learning in the Office of Academic Strategy & Affairs. Teaching@UW is designed specifically for faculty with teaching responsibilities and introduces evidence-based teaching practices, student engagement strategies, and instructional resources that support effective teaching at the University of Washington.
While Day 1 of New Faculty Onboarding provides a virtual introduction to the people, programs, and services that support your success, we strongly encourage new faculty to register for both days. Day 2 offers an in-person opportunity to meet academic leaders, engage directly with faculty panelists and campus partners, explore university resources, and connect with fellow new faculty from across schools, colleges, and campuses. Through networking, mentoring conversations, and cross-disciplinary engagement, participants can begin building the professional relationships and community that support long-term success at the UW. [ap.washington.edu]
Register for both days of New Faculty Onboarding, September 10-11, 2026, and take full advantage of Faculty Welcome Week as you begin your UW journey.