[bioundgrd] Looking forward to serving the department

[Amy E Keating]

To Biology Department faculty, staff, postdocs, and students,

I am honored by the trust put in me by Dean Nergis Mavalvala, who appointed me as Alan’s successor as department head, and I am excited to take on this important role. This is a big job, and Alan has left big shoes to fill. His accomplishments have included an incredible record of junior faculty hiring, new ties with the Ragon Institute, very successful fundraising for MSRP and the graduate program, the launch of multi-faceted DEI efforts, improved departmental communications, and many other things. I am deeply grateful to Alan for his tireless efforts, which have put our department in a strong position despite the severe challenges we have faced over the past several years. Please join me in thanking him for his service.

The search committee led by Steve Bell did much valuable work soliciting your feedback, opinions, and ideas for our department. The dean gave me a high-level synopsis of themes that emerged from the work of the committee, and I was happy to see that these are well-aligned with my views of things we can do to grow and lead in the turbulent 2020s.

Working with so many creative, insightful, industrious, and bold scientists, students, and staff is what makes MIT fun and rewarding for me. It is the reason I accepted this position. I will be talking with many of you over the coming months to hear what you think we can do better and how you would like to be part of that positive change. I plan to make interactions and discussions across the department easier and more frequent, now that we can have more regular in-person activities. I am eager to hear your voices as we discuss the best paths for us to take, the inevitable choices that will be required, and the benefits that we can reap. I am open to input and feedback, and I hope to hear a wide range of perspectives. I believe everyone has a role in making our department one that we are all proud of. 

I very much look forward to working with you and on your behalf within the university and beyond.

Best regards,
Amy

Amy E. Keating
Jay A. Stein (1968) Professor of Biology
Departments of Biology and Biological Engineering, MIT
she/her; keating at mit.edu