Kelly Mayo named interim dean of The Graduate School

Kelly E. Mayo, associate dean for research and graduate studies at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, has been named interim dean of The Graduate School (TGS) and associate provost for graduate education at Northwestern University, Interim Provost Kathleen Hagerty announced May 27.

Mayo, professor of molecular biosciences, holds the Walter and Jennie Bayne Professorship. He has served as chair of the Department of Molecular Biosciences, director of the Center for Reproductive Science and director of the Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program.

The appointment is effective June 1. Further announcements will be forthcoming about a search for a permanent dean to succeed Dean Teresa Woodruff, who is stepping down May 30.

“Kelly Mayo brings the strong experience needed for the job of interim dean of TGS, and he will have my full support as he works to enhance existing programs, generate new collaborations and build on the current foundation,” said Hagerty. “Kelly is familiar with the challenges that TGS faces, and he knows the institution well. 

“I am committed to supporting our students at TGS and confident Kelly will be an excellent partner in demonstrating that commitment,” she said. “I look forward to working with Kelly on advancing the progress we have made at TGS, and I know he is equally determined to work closely with our graduate student community to do the same.”

Mayo has served as president of the Endocrine Society, an organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms regulating normal reproductive function with relevance to reproductive disorders that impact fertility.

Within the research community, Mayo has also been a director of the Marine Biological Laboratory summer course “Frontiers in Reproduction,” and he has held numerous memberships on journal editorial boards and federal grant review panels.

His research, teaching and mentoring have been recognized by a variety of awards, including election as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the E. Leroy Hall Award for TeachingExcellence and the Outstanding Mentor Award from Women in Endocrinology.

“I am extremely honored to be asked to serve in this interim role as dean of The Graduate School and associate provost for graduate education,” Mayo said. “Outstanding graduate education is central to our mission as a great research and teaching university.

“I look forward to working with our faculty, and most especially our graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, to foster our many strengths and continue to develop programs that lead our diverse disciplines,” he said. “While these are indeed challenging times for us all, I am excited to work collaboratively to see graduate education at Northwestern University emerge strong, and to continue the amazing legacy we have created with the world-changing accomplishments of our graduates.”

Mayo values collaborative and interdisciplinary research and has trained many postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and undergraduate students.