Erika Marsillac
Petros Katsioloudis
Anne Perrotti
Mileta Tomovic
Five tenured Old Dominion University faculty members were recently named Provost's Fellows for the 2021-22 academic year, with the possibility of extension for a second year.
This program is a leadership opportunity for individuals interested in sharing their expertise and gaining a broad view of current issues in higher education and academic administration in areas such as academic planning, shared governance, budgeting and high-impact practices. Special consideration was given to faculty interested in working on high-priority initiatives such as strategic planning, review and implementation of the recommendations outlined in the Program Prioritization Initiative (PPI) report, and faculty diversity and retention.
"I am very pleased at the number of outstanding applicants we had this year with compelling project proposals," said Austin Agho, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
This year's Fellows are:
Holly Handley, associate professor, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering
Handley will coordinate campus efforts to identify requirements and organizational design for a campus-wide artificial intelligence and data science center. The effort will leverage insights from similar university centers across the nation and existing capabilities in teaching and research at ODU. The proposed center is expected to unify artificial intelligence and data science activities across campus, build on existing strengths, and enhance research and collaboration opportunities. This fellowship experience will position Handley to use her expertise to enhance ODU's reputation as a leader in the region and improve the campus data culture for faculty and students.
Erika Marsillac, associate professor, Department of Information Technology & Decision Sciences
Leveraging her research expertise in supply chain sustainability issues, Marsillac will collaborate with other units on campus to seek a sustainability reaccreditation for ODU through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) program. ODU's status as a "reporter" participant expired in 2018. Sponsored by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, STARS is an internationally recognized framework to measure and report institutional sustainability performance. STARS accreditation will complement and further promote ODU's role as a leader in addressing critical environmental and climate resilience issues across our campus, region and the broader community.
Petros Katsioloudis, professor and chair, Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies
Katsioloudis will work the Office of Academic Affairs to prepare the next ODU strategic plan as soon as the resumption of the planning process is announced by President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D. As chair of the Department of STEM Education and Professional Studies, Katsioloudis has a track record of developing and implementing strategic plans with a focus on creating and executing student recruitment and enrollment plans, conducting program reviews, leading marketing efforts, and establishing external partnerships and articulation agreements. Under his leadership, the industrial technology program was accredited by the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE). His involvement in the formulation the new strategic plan will shape the activities of the University for the next five years.
Anne Perrotti, associate professor, Department of Communication Disorders & Special Education
Perrotti (formerly Michalek) will work in coordination with the academic affairs director of faculty diversity and retention to create a sustainable, University-wide mentoring program designed to advance faculty recruitment and retention, especially for diverse or underrepresented faculty. The program also aims to solidify a culture of collegiality and networking between junior and senior faculty. Perrotti has a track record of success in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies in promoting equitable and objective graduate admissions criteria, organizing an undergraduate mentoring program and promoting student success through evidence-based education strategies.
Mileta Tomovic, professor, Department of Engineering Technology, and Mitsubishi Kasei Endowed Professor in Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Tomovic participated on the PPI Task Force during the 2020-21 academic year, working closely with faculty, administration and staff in reviewing academic and administrative units under academic affairs. The task force will finalize its recommendations in September, after receiving feedback on the preliminary report from the units. Over the next academic year, Tomovic will work closely with the provost and Faculty Senate on reviewing the PPI Task Force recommendations and developing an implementation plan. This experience is designed to provide him an opportunity to better understand the complexities involved with the implementation of comprehensive and potentially long-term transformative recommendations that are intended to benefit the University and its community.
