Clemson University names Cynthia Young Founding Dean for College of Science

25 July 2017

Cynthia Young
Cynthia Young

In a press release dated 18 July, Clemson University announced that SPIE Fellow, Cynthia Young, current vice provost for Faculty Excellence and International Affairs and Global Strategies at the University of Central Florida (UCF), has been chosen to lead the College of Science as its founding dean. With the July 2016 college restructuring, Clemson created the College of Science bringing together the fields of mathematics, physical sciences, and life sciences to give them additional attention and focus. Young will begin her tenure 15 August.

Clemson University President James P. Clements cited the importance of attracting compelling and effective leadership in a statement about her appointment. "Cynthia has an exceptional track record of innovation, strategic thinking and success in leading high-performing teams," he said. "I am confident that she will build on the great work already being done in our College of Science."

As Vice Provost at UCF Young successfully lead strategic initiatives for recruitment, development and retention of faculty intended to raise UCF’s global profile, and created partnerships that strengthened the internationalization of UCF’s campus, curricula and research. She joined UCF in 1997 as a tenure-track assistant professor of mathematics.

Young is an active SPIE Member and became a Fellow of the Society in 2007. She has served as conference and session chairs at events and on program committees. She is the author of over 70 books and publications including articles in the SPIE journal, Optical Engineering, and dozens of proceedings. She published the book, Laser Beam Scintillation with Applications, with SPIE Press in 2001.

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