Dear Rice community,
As Dean Kathleen Canning nears the completion of two highly impactful terms leading the School of Humanities and Arts, she has decided to return to the faculty, effective July 1, 2027. We are deeply grateful for her dedicated leadership, which has significantly elevated the school’s scholarship, creativity and academic distinction.
To guide us in identifying a visionary leader who will build upon this momentum and further expand the school’s creativity and innovation, I am pleased to share that we’ve launched the search for the school’s next dean.
I have formed a search committee co-chaired by Rachel Kimbro, dean of the School of Social Sciences, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences and professor of sociology, and Kirsten Ostherr, the Gladys Louise Fox Professor of English, director of the Medical Humanities Research Institute and director of the Medical Humanities Program.
The committee members guiding this effort are:
Rachel Kimbro (co-chair)
Kirsten Ostherr (co-chair)
Graham Bader, the George and Nancy Rupp Professor of Humanities, professor of art history and director of the Humanities Research Center
Amy Berg, associate professor of philosophy
Anne Chao, advisory board member for the School of Humanities and Arts, the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality, the Chao Center for Asian Studies, the Kinder Institute, and the Shepherd School of Music, and co-founder and program manager for the Houston Asian American Archive
Hossam Elsherbiny, associate teaching professor in Arabic, director of language instruction, transnational Asian studies
Rodrigo Ferreira, associate dean for technology and responsibility in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing and associate teaching professor of computer science
Jeff Kripal, the J. Newton Rayzor Chair in Philosophy and Religious Thought
Tabea Linhard, the Joseph and Joanna Nazro Mullen Professor in Humanities, faculty associate director of the Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality
W. Caleb McDaniel, interim Department of History chair, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities, professor of history and editor of the Journal of Southern History
Cathryn Selman, Rice Trustee, board member for the School of Social Sciences, Chao Center for Asian Studies, Center for the Study of Women, Gender and Sexuality, and Friends of Fondren Library
John Sparagana, the Grace Christian Vietti Chair in Visual Arts, professor of art and Department of Art chair
We’ve selected the executive search firm Russell Reynolds to assist the committee. The search will hit full gear this month, and our goal is for the next dean to begin in the role by summer 2027.
Your input is invaluable as we undertake this critical search. If you have questions, wish to share your thoughts on the qualities we should seek in our next dean, or know someone who would be an excellent candidate, please reach out to the search committee co-chairs.
Warm regards,
Amy Dittmar
Howard R. Hughes Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs