MIDDLETOWN, Pa. -- Susannah Gal has been appointed associate dean of research and outreach at Penn State Harrisburg, effective July 15.
Gal is currently interim dean of libraries and professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York. Since 1994, she has been a faculty member in Binghamton’s Department of Biological Sciences, where she also has served as the departmental graduate director and department chair. She was named interim dean of libraries in 2014, guiding overall management of the university’s library.
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gal,” said Penn State Harrisburg Chancellor Mukund Kulkarni. “Dr. Gal brings to us a wealth of academic and administrative experience, including at the national and international levels; proven commitment to scholarship and research, with a strong record of grant funded research; and outstanding leadership and management skills.”
Gal recently served as program director at the National Science Foundation, within the organization’s Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and Division of Graduate Education. She also has consulted widely, at research laboratories in North America and Europe.
Gal earned her doctorate in biochemistry from The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland and her bachelor of arts in biochemistry/chemistry from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.
The mission of the Office of Research and Outreach, which Gal will oversee, is to provide support, training, and resources for faculty and student research and scholarly activities. The office also is involved with research and education programs that benefit business and industry in the region and beyond. Much of this work is accomplished through the campus's industry-specific centers and outreach institutes, including the new entrepreneurial initiative, the Center for the Next Step.
“I look forward to joining Penn State Harrisburg as associate dean of research and outreach,” said Gal. “I am excited to facilitate and encourage innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity at the college, to establish partnerships with other organizations, and to engage the college community in a shared vision of the future of research at Penn State Harrisburg.”