Four College of Arts and Sciences faculty have been appointed or reappointed to leadership roles within the college.

• Susan Olesik, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was appointed dean for natural and mathematical sciences, effective July 1, 2020.
   
• Christopher Jaroniec, professor and vice chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, was reappointed associate dean for research and creative inquiry.
   
• Shari Speer, professor in the Department of Linguistics and associate dean for academic affairs at the Graduate School, was appointed associate dean for faculty affairs, effective July 1, 2020.
   
• Sergio Soave, professor in the Department of Art, was reappointed associate dean for space and infrastructure.

Susan Olesik, an internationally recognized scholar in the field of analytical chemistry, was chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry from 2011-2019. She currently sits on the Academic Affairs, Student Life and Research Committee of the Board of Trustees and co-chairs the University Advisory Subcommittee of the Presidential Search Committee.

Olesik is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Chemical Society, and her commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration is exemplified by her leadership of Ohio State’s NSF-funded Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center and the launch of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building.

She is also deeply committed to diversity, inclusion and access. Olesik has recruited and retained women and minority faculty, supervised scholarship programs that support first-generation and underrepresented undergraduates, and directs the Wonders of Our World science outreach program for K-5 students.

Christopher Jaroniec has served as interim dean for natural and mathematical sciences this past semester. Also a Fellow of AAAS, Jaroniec has helped the college navigate the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on its research enterprise and laboratory instruction. He co-chairs the Research Recovery Committee, which advises university leadership in Ohio State’s recovery efforts as campus re-opens, and under his leadership he have provided continuity for critical research activities and opportunities for those working on research directly related to mitigating COVID-19 spread.

In a change, the associate dean for research and creative inquiry will report directly to the executive dean.

Shari Speer, a world-renowned scholar in the field of psycholinguistics, served as chair of the department for six years before moving to her role at the Graduate School. She is also a Fellow of AAAS, a current member of the Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies at the Ohio Department of Higher Education, a 2020 recipient of the President and Provost’s Award for Distinguished Faculty Service, and former chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board at Ohio State.

Speer has become adept at developing, interpreting and implementing college and university policies, and she leverages her expertise in research design and quantitative analysis to evaluate, steer and re-evaluate policy and administrative activity. She replaces Tina Henkin, who is returning to the microbiology faculty after a distinguished term as associate dean.

Sergio Soave, a former chair of the Department of Art, assists in the strategic planning and logistics for major projects such as the Arts District, assesses ongoing space and infrastructure needs, and represents the college to Facilities Operations and Development and to Planning, Architecture and Real Estate. He helps the college be effective and efficient in leveraging its physical footprint for research, creative inquiry and teaching.

In response to COVID-19, Sergio's leadership has guided the college in ramping down on-campus operations, identifying essential personnel, enabling certain researchers to continue performing essential activities and preparing for the eventual return to campus.