Denise Bruesewitz has been named the new provost of Colby College. Bruesewitz, chair of interdisciplinary studies at the college, starts the new position July 1, taking over for Margaret McFadden. Photo courtesy of Colby College

WATERVILLE — Denise Bruesewitz, a longtime leader and educator at Colby College, has been named the college’s new provost, effective July 1.

Bruesewitz, described by Colby as an acclaimed scientist-scholar highly regarded for her campus leadership, scientific research and innovative teaching, will succeed Margaret McFadden, who has been in the position since 2017 and plans to retire in June.

Bruesewitz is chair of interdisciplinary studies, one of the college’s four major divisions, and is one of two faculty representatives to the college’s board of trustees. She joined Colby’s department of environmental studies in 2012 and since then has taken on senior-level responsibilities, both within that department and elsewhere on campus, according to a Colby news release.

In announcing Bruesewitz’s appointment to the provost position, Colby President David A. Greene cited her accomplishments in leadership, scholarship and teaching.

“Denise possesses the qualities and experiences that will make her a phenomenal leader of the faculty and a champion for the academic program,” Greene said. “She is a natural collaborator and interdisciplinary thinker, both in her scientific research and her teaching and program development with colleagues from humanistic disciplines. As a leader, she never seeks the spotlight for herself, preferring instead to shine the light on the good work of others. Her generosity of spirit and deep concern for others are evident to everyone who works with her.”

Bruesewitz will serve as Colby’s chief academic officer, leading and advocating for faculty and staff as they execute the college’s teaching and research mission. She will oversee all academic operations, including matters related to curriculum and faculty governance, and the college’s suite of initiatives supporting student research and experiences, scholarship by faculty and visiting fellows and community engagement.

Bruesewitz said she is excited about the opportunity to serve as provost and grateful for the confidence Greene has shown her.

“I am eager to continue and expand the good work that Margaret and her staff have accomplished,” Bruesewitz said, “and that means making sure the faculty feel supported to build academic programs they are passionate about, strengthen collaborations across campus, and support our centers, labs, and institutes in all the innovative work they are doing.”

Bruesewitz, whose research specializes in the human impacts on aquatic ecosystems, is a key member of the Future of Sciences at Colby committee, which is planning the college’s investment in its STEM curriculum and facilities with a goal of positioning Colby as the leading liberal arts college for the sciences, the news release said.

She serves on the committee’s faculty leadership team and three of the committee’s working groups. Before serving as division chair of interdisciplinary studies, she was chair of the environmental studies department where she restructured the academic program to enhance interdisciplinary engagement while maintaining courses to provide disciplinary foundations. She also led efforts to expand collaboration with other departments, including English, economics, geology, chemistry and biology, and co-led efforts to give Colby observer status at the United Nations Climate Change Conference and send delegations of faculty and students to those meetings.

Bruesewitz helped enhanced partnerships with the Center for the Arts and Humanities and worked with the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence to expand the environmental computation curriculum, according to officials. She also is a member of the promotion and tenure committee, was a faculty representative to the Colby College Museum of Art’s board of governors for two terms, faculty liaison to the Office of Civic Engagement and Community Partnerships, and head faculty-in-residence while living at the Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons downtown.

Kerill O’Neill, the Julian D. Taylor Professor and chair of Classics and the Humanities Division, said Bruesewitz has earned the trust and respect of faculty with her dedication to interdisciplinary studies and commitment to crucial leadership roles.

“Denise is always incredibly generous in helping colleagues, mentoring students, and working to make Colby a better place. She offers a wonderful combination of innovative thinking, selfless collaboration, and effective implementation,” said O’Neill, who served on the Faculty Steering Committee that advised the search. “Environmental studies is inherently interdisciplinary, combining natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and Denise very much values the vital contributions that each of the divisions makes in crafting citizens and leaders of the future. Trained as a scientist, Denise truly lives Colby’s commitment to the liberal arts.”

Bruesewitz earned a doctorate at the University of Notre Dame and held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute and New Zealand’s University of Waikato. As a teacher-scholar, she has received and participated in numerous external research grants worth more than $9 million over her Colby career, and has published or contributed to nearly 40 research papers and publications.

Among other initiatives, she is co-leading a project to re-introduce native freshwater mussels to streams in suburban Washington, D.C., to see if the mollusks can help enhance nutrient processing, ultimately benefiting water quality in Chesapeake Bay. Her other areas of expertise include biogeochemistry, limnology, coastal ecosystems and science communication.

Bruesewitz is married to Waterville City Councilor Thomas Klepach, D-Ward 3, who also is a faculty member in Colby’s science, technology and society department.