Dear Student,
It is with both pride and sadness that I share that Sam Thomas, Senior Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Chemistry, will be stepping down from his deanship and leaving Tufts at the end of December to become the next Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Rochester, his alma mater. For his family, it is a kind of homecoming, as he met his wife at Rochester and her family lives in the area. I will be sad to no longer work side-by-side with Dean Thomas, but find solace in knowing that this is an incredible opportunity for him, and we will continue to be colleagues and peers as part of the Association of American Universities A&S Dean group.
I know many of you will gasp upon hearing this news. It is impossible to overstate what an incredible partner Dean Thomas has been to me and to so many of us at the school in his roles as an administrator, as a professor, and as a trusted colleague. During his time in the Dean’s Office as Senior Dean of Academic Affairs, and Dean of Academic Affairs before that, Dean Thomas has developed very strong relationships with faculty and staff that have created a solid foundation for his leadership. Dean Thomas has supervised over half of the departments and programs at the school and managed teams across Faculty Affairs, Undergraduate Studies, the StAAR Center, and Global Education. He has played a key leadership role in the A&S Strategic Planning project, spearheaded projects related to curriculum and wraparound services for students, and led complex initiatives, such as the new registration process for undergraduates and bargaining our most recent CBA with the SEIU and our teaching faculty.
Dean Thomas has also been an active member of the Department of Chemistry since he came to Tufts in 2009. He teaches courses in organic chemistry at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and supervises an active research group that focuses on designing new organic materials that respond to light to address problems in energy, sustainability, and human health. Dean Thomas will take on an affiliate position at Tufts for the next few years as he supports his PhD students through the end of their studies.
In addition to being an exceptionally talented researcher, scholar, and teacher, Dean Thomas is admired for being considerate, approachable, and extremely kind; for his fairness in resolving difficult situations; and for his creative problem solving. His commitment to his students and colleagues is widely recognized and greatly appreciated. The University of Rochester is so incredibly lucky that he is joining them.
With best wishes,
Bárbara M. Brizuela
Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Education
