Announcing Associate Provost for Academic Space

May 18, 2020

I’m pleased to announce that Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Thomas J. Roberts has agreed to serve as associate provost for academic space, effective July 1, 2020. Tom succeeds Professor of Engineering Rod Beresford, who concludes his term on June 30. I am enormously grateful for the stellar work that Rod has done in this role, and through his talented leadership, he has positioned Tom well for continued success. 

The associate provost for academic space is a half-time position that reports directly to the provost and advises on planning and managing space and facilities-related projects in support of the University’s academic mission. A critical aspect of the role is serving as a liaison between faculty and Facilities Management, helping to understand and convey the space and infrastructure needs of faculty, and to identify and advocate for approaches and solutions to meet scholarly goals within budgetary parameters.  

Tom is exceptionally well-prepared for this role, and brings a depth of knowledge of Brown as well as an important understanding of the distinct facilities needs of faculty in advancing academic excellence through teaching and research. With training in biomechanics and comparative physiology, Tom joined the Brown community in 2004. A prolific scholar and researcher, Tom’s research uses the tools of biomechanics and functional morphology to study how animals move. The work in his lab investigates the integrated function of muscles, tendons, and skeletal lever systems to better understand the evolution of musculoskeletal design.

He has had continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation since 1995, and his work has been widely published in scholarly journals such as The Journal of Experimental Biology and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He is also well-known for some of the compelling video that accompany his studies, which offer insights on the interaction of physiology and biomechanics through frogs jumping and bass devouring other fish.  

Currently vice chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tom has provided exemplary service to the University, including as chair of the Faculty Executive Committee. Tom is also a dedicated educator, and has taught courses in human anatomy, human physiology, environmental physiology, and biomechanics.  He earned his B.A. in biology from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. from the Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Department at Harvard University.

I am grateful to Tom for taking on this role, and look forward to working with him during this critical period for the University.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Locke
Provost