College names biology professor new associate academic dean

After Associate Academic Dean Rick Davis' death in February, Augustana officials were left with the task of selecting someone to succeed him in office. Effective Aug. 1, that person will be current chair of the Natural Science Division, biology professor Michael Wanous.

Wanous, who has been a faculty member since 1997, came to Augustana after receiving his bachelor's degree in agronomy at the University of Minnesota, his master's in plant breeding at Texas A&M University and his Ph.D. in genetics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. At Augustana, he has taught introductory biology, cell biology, genetics and molecular biology.

Wanous, who was selected by a search committee made up of faculty, administrative staff and students, said that he is ''excited about new challenges and opportunities to learn new things,'' even though he has encountered numerous challenges and learning opportunities in his life thus far.

Wanous grew up in Prior Lake and Richfield, Minn., until high school, when his parents moved to Kenya as missionaries. There he attended a Catholic high school and ''learned lots of interesting things from the Irish priests teaching there.

''There are a lot of things I've done that I do not recommend to try, like walking through a pack of hyenas, camping in tents where herds of elephants come at night, holding a rhinoceros by its horn and eating live termites,'' Wanous said. ''Things I've done that I do recommend to try include taking a train across India, living in England, kayaking in Lake Superior, attending the demolition derby in Inwood, Iowa, studying genetics and making a difference on Kiva.org.''

Mark Braun, dean of academic affairs, said he has full confidence that Wanous will be a successful associate academic dean.

''Mike Wanous will bring a strong background to his work as the new associate academic dean,'' Braun said. ''He has served with distinction as the chair of the Natural Science Division, and prior to that, as chair of the biology department. He was also recently promoted to the full rank of 'professor' by the Board of Trustees.''

Braun said Wanous is ''knowledgeable about our academic program and is well-respected across the college.

''He is firmly committed to the mission of Augustana, and is especially well-versed in both the Gilbert Science building and renovation planning, as well grant writing and support,'' Braun said. ''He has been an integral part of the general education revision process. I believe that students will find him approachable and interested in helping them achieve their education goals.''

Senior Emily Davis, a biology major who has taken several of Wanous' classes, echoed Braun's statements about Wanous' friendliness and understanding toward students.

''He's a really friendly, personable guy,'' Davis said. ''He's the kind of professor who will always welcome you into his office if you have a question and will say 'hi' to you when you walk across campus. I think students will really like him as the associate academic dean.''

That is exactly the image Wanous hopes to display to the Augustana campus.

''I hope that I can be an effective support to Augustana faculty and students as we grow intellectually, as a community and spiritually,'' Wanous said.