Message from the Vice Provost
When I came to Duke in 2017, the Office for Faculty Advancement was brand new. Over the past four years, I have been honored to work with a dedicated team to support building an excellent, equitable and inclusive faculty community.
I invite you to peruse our annual report, which presents a brief overview of activities and accomplishments during our fourth year. I want to recognize our key partners at Duke, including all Duke schools and their leaders, the Office for Institutional Equity, the Office of Institutional Research, the Provost’s Office, the Academic Council, and many other important offices and stakeholders committed to supporting faculty advancement.
I am grateful to all of the faculty and staff members who collaborated with us last year and since the launch of our office, and I have been continually moved by the skill and dedication of each member of this office – please see their names below.
At the end of June 2021, Associate Vice Provost Claudia Gunsch stepped down in order to serve as Associate Dean for Research and Infrastructure at the Pratt School of Engineering. I want to acknowledge her tremendous contributions to our office, and while she has not gone far, she is greatly missed.
As we enter our fifth year, I would like to encourage your feedback. How has this office helped you? What else should we be doing, or doing differently? Our office is committed to strengthening faculty excellence, and we want to hear from you.
So please take a look back by reading further, let us know what you think, and visit our website to view upcoming offerings. I wish you a fulfilling academic year, and I thank you for contributing to Duke’s thriving intellectual community.
Abbas Benmamoun, Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Professor of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Linguistics
Our Mission
The Office for Faculty Advancement provides leadership, guidance and oversight of university-wide strategies and programs to support faculty excellence and promote an equitable and inclusive academic environment.
We oversee faculty development programs and partner with Duke schools, departments and other academic units to advance faculty careers and enhance faculty success at Duke. We work to recruit, retain and celebrate outstanding and diverse faculty and strive to promote an enriching learning and research environment that adheres to high standards of collegiality, respect and integrity.
Our Team
In 2020-2021, our team included Abbas Benmamoun, Vice Provost; Sherilynn Black, Associate Vice Provost; Claudia Gunsch, Associate Vice Provost, Carolyn Mackman, Assistant Vice Provost; Sarah Dwyer, Director of Communications; Jennifer Goins, Senior Program Coordinator, Maggie Elliott, Program Coordinator; and Jan Carico, Administrative Assistant.
Undergraduates Jon Stanley and Alicia Medina joined us as student assistants. At the end of the academic year, Claudia Gunsch stepped down in order to serve as Associate Dean for Research and Infrastructure at the Pratt School of Engineering.
