Latest news with #SureshGarimella
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Vermont's new president officially begins tenure
Marlene Tromp officially begins her tenure as president of the University of Vermont July 1. In a video message on UVM's YouTube, Tromp expressed her excitement at joining UVM and furthering the work the university does. Tromp was selected as the 28th president of UVM March 20, 2025, following a global search that UVM said included over 100 candidates. She visited UVM then for a round of in-person interview with many campus personnel, and took part in a community forum. The search for a new president was underway after Suresh Garimella, who served as president between 2019 until October 2024, announced he accepted the president position at the University of Arizona. Patricia Prelock has been serving as interim president since Garimella's departure. Tromp served as the president of Boise State University for the prior six years before accepting the UVM position. She has over three decades of experience in teaching, research and higher education administration. At BSU, Tromp guided the institution to record graduation rates and levels of philanthropic funding. She also increased student enrollment while focusing on keeping costs affordable through various initiatives. She also focused on expanding research funding, something she said is also a focus for her at UVM, an institution often leading the world in multiple research pursuits. Before that, Tromp held positions at the University of California at Santa Cruz and Arizona State University. Tromp has won numerous awards for her teaching, scholarship and community service. She served on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors and consults on higher education with the Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco. Tromp was raised in Wyoming, the child of a coal miner. She is a first-generation college student who said she has "experienced the power of education to transform lives." Tromp is a humanities scholar with a concentration in Victorian literature and culture and its relationship to current society. Tromp has published widely, including nine books and dozens of peer-reviewed papers. While so much of UVM's focus seems to branch toward science and research, she said her personal foundation is humanities and she wants to make sure that facet of the university is also taken care of. Sydney P. Hakes is the Burlington city reporter. Contact her at SHakes@ This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Marlene Tromp starts as UVM president after leading Boise State
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Arizona faculty say administrator causing severe harm to Native students
Photo by University of Arizona After several Native students at the University of Arizona expressed their concerns about student safety regarding an assistant vice provost, multiple Native faculty members are calling for immediate action from university leadership to ensure that Indigenous students receive the support they need for success. The Native American Faculty Group wrote in a letter to UofA President Dr. Suresh Garimella and other top administrators that 'Tessa L. Dysart is actively causing and has caused severe harm to the UA Native American community' since she was appointed assistant vice provost for the Office of Native American Initiatives (NAI) in 2024. Six Native faculty members wrote that students have approached them since the fall of 2024 to voice their concerns about their safety on campus. 'In our culture, we allow our children to speak, and we listen,' the group wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The faculty members who signed and sent the letter include Karletta Chief (Diné), Andrew Curley (Diné), Stephanie Russo Carroll (Ahtna-Native Village of Kluti-Kaah), Jameson D. Lopez (Quechan), Sheilah E. Nicholas (Hopi) and Valerie Shirley (Diné). As professors, they said that they have witnessed 'disturbing events' that do not align with leading protocols to support Indigenous students in higher education. The letter outlines the concerns raised by students since Dysart took office, including her lack of support for student-led academic work on the Land Back movement, community panels and discussions, and her physical attempt to silence a student during the Tribal Leaders Summit. Nearly 100 people — some faculty, some students, some alumni — have signed onto the letter to back the faculty calling on the university to remove Dysart as assistant vice provost. 'We find Dysart's actions to be unprofessional, misaligned with the interests of students, and, at times, clear attempts at intimidation — behavior that is unbecoming of a senior administrator who claims to advocate for Native American students,' the letter states. Several Native students and staff have shared with the faculty group how Dysart is 'sowing harm, district and division within the UA Native community.' Dysart lacks the qualifications to be the assistant vice provost, according to the faculty group, because she has never worked with Native American student admissions, retention or service programs in higher education, nor has she published any work related to Native American student retention or advancement. During Dysart's interview process, the faculty group alleged that she claimed to have longstanding relationships with Native law students, but they had consistently heard otherwise from the Native law community. 'Dysart's portrayal of her experience is misleading,' they wrote, adding that she has worked at UofA since 2017 but only became involved with the Native Faculty Group within the past three years. Dysart has no prior connection with the Native American communities at UA, in Tucson, Arizona or the Southwest, according to the faculty group. The faculty group also expressed concerns about leaders in the Native American Advancement and Tribal Engagement (NAATE) office, including Levi Esquerra and Kari McCormick. Due to the ongoing concerns involving NAI and NAATE leadership, the faculty group said they cannot in 'good faith' recommend UofA to Indigenous students. The group wrote that they would rather refer Indigenous students to Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University due to the well-qualified administrators running their Native American initiatives. Dysart lacks the stellar reputation and qualifications of the Native Higher Administrators at ASU or NAU, according to the faculty group, and she does not possess the qualifications of many researchers in Native American education. 'Dysart earns $167,116 per year, yet there is no accountability, review, or annual reports showing her performance serving Native American faculty and staff,' the letter states. 'We have no confidence in Tessa Dysart.' The Arizona Mirror reached out to UofA and Dysart for comment, but did not receive a response. As part of the letter, the faculty group shared their disappointment in the consolidation of the Native American Student Affairs cultural center and the termination of its director, Julian Juan. Under Juan's leadership, the faculty group said that the Indigenous community at the University of Arizona has had only positive experiences. 'As a tight-knit community, we have consistently witnessed Juan's advocacy in fostering a safe and supportive space at NASA even as Dysart, Esquerra and McCormick contribute to a climate of hostility,' the letter said, noting that Juan is one of only three Tohono O'odham directors in the history of Native American Student Affairs, which is commonly referred to as NASA. 'In contrast to Dysart, Juan has deep connections and experience with tribal leaders and the local community,' the faculty wrote. 'Juan understands the importance of creating culturally appropriate programs and activities that create a sense of belonging for Native American students struggling to find their place and belonging within the Wildcat community.' UofA fired Juan on May 27. The university wrote in his termination letter that he failed to fulfill his duties as director. The faculty group expressed appreciation that NASA will continue to exist, but they 'adamantly oppose' moving it under Dysart's supervision at NAI, citing students' consistent concerns about their safety around her and her limited experience in student affairs. The faculty group is calling on Patricia Prelock, the new provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at UofA, to return NASA under the office of the provost, remove Dysart, reinstate Juan, reopen the NAI assistant vice provost position, create a Native American Faculty Council and maintain the Native American Community Council. 'As members of sovereign tribal nations that have nation-to-nation relationships with the United States federal government, we ask you to respect our sovereignty and fulfill our requests,' they said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University announces massive investment to aid development of limitless energy machine: 'Exciting new technology with huge room to run'
As the global race to sustainably produce and harness fusion energy endures, one American university announced plans to be the leading academic institution to support fusion energy development in the country, reported. Leaders at the University of Arizona (UA) — Suresh Garimella, UA President; and Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, UA Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation — have publicized the university's research priorities, of which fusion energy is top of mind. Of the recent $20 million investment the university received from the Arizona Board of Regents' Technology and Research Initiative fund, the budget will be split among three primary research areas: space and national security, fusion energy, and artificial intelligence and health. Though the university does not have concrete numbers for dispersing the investment just yet, it does anticipate spending more on the first two research areas to secure appropriate equipment, facilities, and laboratories. The UA leaders are especially enthusiastic about investing in fusion energy development and pursuing fusion commercialization, which could generate a $68 trillion increase in global Gross Domestic Product, according to their opinion piece published on The Hill. "Fusion is the process that powers the stars, including our sun, which is the original source of energy that sustains life on Earth," explained UA spokesperson Mitch Zak, per Fusion energy is abundant and doesn't produce long-lasting radioactive nuclear waste, like fission energy does, per the International Atomic Energy Agency, holding great potential to power cities and towns with affordable, renewable, clean energy. Transitioning from dirty fuels to cleaner energy reduces harmful gas pollution, which can improve people's respiratory health. UA's support for the fusion industry in successfully achieving fusion commercialization could help Arizona and the country achieve greater energy security. Limitless and affordable fusion energy could help address the state's water scarcity problems (desalinating water) and AI's growing energy demands. Powering the country with domestically produced renewable energy positions the country to be in a place of greater security, reducing reliance on imported energy and shielding from the volatility of international energy prices. According to the university plans to improve fusion technology to reduce the associated risks of current fusion processes, to ultimately support the private sector in developing a successful fusion reactor. Commonwealth Fusion Systems, an MIT energy startup backed by Bill Gates, is one such company moving towards a viable tokamak reactor. The company has installed a 75-ton cryostat base to help keep the reactor's magnets at 487 degrees Fahrenheit, which creates a plasma condition that is hotter than the sun. Should the U.S. invest more in battery innovations? Absolutely Depends on the project We're investing enough We should invest less Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. In another instance, nuclear experts at General Atomics successfully surpassed the "Greenwald limit," the threshold in reaction experiments where the fusion process tends to become rampant. Some calculation adjustments allowed the team to exceed the Greenwald limit by 20% and achieve a 50% greater energy confinement quality. "This (fusion) is exciting new technology with huge room to run and has moved very rapidly — the last decade has seen more progress than in my lifetime — and I would love to see that come to commercial power in the next decade," said U.S. energy secretary Chris Wright, per "We're very fortunate that the Arizona Board of Regents enabled us to get started. Our job now is to take that seed and turn it into a significant program of federal research," said Diáz de la Rubia, per Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
