Four IIGE director candidates to give public presentations

LAWRENCE — Four candidates, all University of Kansas faculty members, will give public presentations as part of the search for the inaugural executive director for the Institute for International & Global Engagement (KU-IIGE).

The four presentations will occur on the Lawrence campus with the option to participate via Zoom. Members of the KU community are encouraged to attend each candidate’s public presentation and provide feedback to the search committee through the candidate evaluation form.

The public presentations will be held on the following dates (if attending virtually, please pre-register your participation through the links below):

• Megan Greene, associate professor of history: 10-11:15 a.m. May 2, 455 Watson Library.
• Peter Bobkowski, Clyde M. Reed Professor of Journalism: 10-11:15 a.m. May 5, Kansas Room at the Kansas Union.
• Shannon O’Lear, professor of geography: 10-11:15 a.m. May 9, 455 Watson Library.
• Melissa Birch, associate professor of business: 10-11:15 a.m. May 10, 455 Watson Library.

This semester, Provost Barbara Bichelmeyer announced the formation of the institute, which will help align efforts and capacities across the university to bolster KU's international and global engagement strategy. This new institute will report to the Provost’s Office through the vice provost for academic affairs, maintain a strong alignment with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and increase connections with the Office of Research, as well as the offices comprising International Affairs.

The executive director will lead the KU-IIGE as it works alongside and in collaboration with KU’s five Area Studies Centers. In addition to the half-time appointment leading the KU-IIGE, the executive director will retain her or his tenured faculty position at KU.

Charles Bankart, associate vice provost for International Affairs, chairs the search committee for the new position. As part of their presentation, the candidates have been asked to consider the newly formed institute’s most significant community engagement opportunities, how those opportunities relate to KU’s international and global capacities, and how the institute aligns those capacities with community needs.

The presentations will take 30 to 40 minutes, with a 20- to 30-minute question-and-answer session to follow. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to offer their impressions and observations of each candidate through the online Candidate Evaluation Form. Feedback will be due by 5 p.m. May 12.

More information about the search and candidates is online at the provost's office website.