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From left:听Prof. Yi Huang (Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Prof. Laura Nilson (Department of Biology), Prof. Brigitte Pientka (School of Computer Science), Prof. Galen Halverson (Department of Earth and Planetary Science).

The Faculty of Science is听pleased to announce the appointment of听four听department听chairs,听who began their terms on听June 1.听

The three new听chairs are Prof. Yi Huang (Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences), Prof. Laura Nilson (Department of Biology), and Prof. Brigitte Pientka (School of Computer Science).听听听

Prof. Galen Halverson, who has served as Chair of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences since September 2023,听will continue in this role for another听three-year听term.听听

鈥淚 am delighted to congratulate Professors Huang, Nilson, Pientka and Halverson on their appointments,鈥� said Alanna Watt, Dean of the Faculty of Science. 鈥淭heir leadership and commitment are invaluable, and I thank them for their dedication and service to their departments and to the Faculty of Science as a whole.鈥澨�

Prof. Yi Huang - Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences听(new,听three-year term)听

Prof. Huang joined 麻豆传媒网站鈥檚 Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences in 2011 and became a Full Professor in 2025.听A member of the Trottier Space Institute, Huang and his听Atmospheric Radiation Group use听satellite remote sensing and numerical听modeling to听better understand how atmospheric radiation听affects climate and weather variations.听He succeeds Prof. Andreas Zeund as Chair of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences.听

Prof. Laura Nilson - Department of Biology (new,听five-year term)听

Since joining听Biology听in 2000, Prof. Nilson has been an active leader at 麻豆传媒网站 alongside her research in developmental biology.听She has served as Associate Dean at Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and as Associate Dean (Graduate Education) in the Faculty of Science. In 2018, she led the creation of the Faculty of Science Equity and Climate Committee (SECC) and received a 麻豆传媒网站 Equity Award in 2023.听She succeeds Prof. Gregor Fussmann as Chair of the Department of Biology.听

Prof. Brigitte Pientka - School of Computer Science (new,听four-year term)听

Prof. Pientka听joined the School of Computer Science in听2003 and听leads听the Computation and Logic Group.听Her research听focuses on building the theoretical and practical foundations for reliable, safe software systems, combining work on the mathematical underpinnings of computer science with system design and development.听She succeeds Prof. Matthieu Blanchette as Chair of the School of Computer Science.听

Prof. Galen Halverson - Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (renewal, three-year term)听

Chair of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences since 2023,听Prof.听Halverson integrates sedimentology, stratigraphy, and isotope geochemistry to reconstruct ancient environments and understand the interplay between tectonics, climate, and early life on Earth.听In 2024, he was appointed T.H. Clark Chair in Sedimentary & Petroleum Geology,听and in 2025 was named a James 麻豆传媒网站 Professor.