Dean Search

Four finalists have been invited to visit campus as part of the search for the next dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of North Dakota.

Faculty, staff and students are strongly encouraged to participate in the interview process. The campus and broader community are also invited to attend the candidate Open Forums.

Candidate Interviews and Open Forums

Dates and times for candidate interviews and Open Forums are listed below. Each Open Forum will include a 10–15 minute presentation by the candidate, followed by a question-and-answer session with attendees.

All participants will be asked to complete a feedback survey for each finalist. Your perspectives and input are an important part of this search process, and we appreciate your participation.

Gautam Pillay - March 16-18, 2026

Dr. Gautam Pillay is Associate Dean for Research in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati, where he leads research strategy, growth, and partnership development across this R1 college. He previously served as the first Vice President for Research at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Chief Research Officer at Rowan University in New Jersey and West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at Western Washington University. Earlier in his career, he also held senior leadership roles at three Department of Energy national laboratories and a multi-university research consortium across five Western states. Dr. Pillay is a tenured professor and holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University. His career has focused on strengthening graduate education, expanding research capacity, building interdisciplinary and external partnerships, and aligning university research and graduate training with workforce and societal needs.

Visit Schedule

Soojung Kim - March 18-20, 2026

Soojung Kim (Ph.D., University of Minnesota) is Interim Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Communication at the University of North Dakota. Her leadership at UND is grounded in a commitment to expanding access to high-quality graduate education, strengthening community and industry partnerships, and supporting research and creative activities that address important challenges and issues facing North Dakota, the nation, and the global community.

As Interim Dean, Dr. Kim advances academic excellence through relationship-based leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and strategic initiatives. Working closely with faculty, academic units, and campus partners, she fosters innovative approaches to teaching, research, and creative activities that support UND’s continued growth as a leading R1 institution.

A public health communication scholar, Dr. Kim remains actively engaged in research and externally funded projects that examine how communication can help address complex public health challenges in North Dakota and beyond. As an educator, she is also known for her commitment to student success, mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students and creating experiential learning opportunities that connect scholarship with real-world impact.

Prior to serving as Interim Dean, Dr. Kim held leadership roles as department chair and graduate program director in the Department of Communication, where she led initiatives that increased both undergraduate and graduate enrollment, revived the Journalism degree program, expanded partnerships with industry and alumni, and led the development of the online M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication programs, which have since become key drivers of program growth.

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Benoy Jacob - March 23-25, 2026

I am currently the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies. Prior to my role at Northwestern, I served for four years as an Assistant Dean at UW-Madison’s Division of Extension and before that I held a variety of academic positions including:

• Associate Professor at UNLV, where I also served as the Director of the MA in Urban leadership Program, and as the Interim Director of the MGM Public Policy Institute,
• Assistant Professor at the School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado, Denver, where I also served as the Director for the Center for Local Government Research and Training and the Executive Director for the Certified Public Management Program, and
• Assistant Professor at the School of Politics and Economics at Claremont Graduate University.

I earned my PhD (in 2008) at the University of Illinois – Chicago (UIC), where my dissertation focused on the intersection of land-use regulation and tax systems.  My work was awarded a Lincoln Institute Land Policy dissertation fellowship.  I also served as a summer associate at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, where I studied the social networks of collaborative research teams.

My research trajectory continues to focus on the growth and governance of cities; in particular, public finance, state and local relationships, and social equity and diversity.  I am in the process of completing two invited chapters for edited book projects and have started a new project on social cohesion in American cities.  My research has been published in the National Tax Journal, Urban Affairs Review and the Public Administration Review.

I am also active in many nationally recognized organizations.  I serve as an executive committee member for the American Society of Public Administration’s (ASPA) Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management.  I also served as a Research Fellow to the International City/County Managers Association, and am a Senior Fellow with the National Civic League.

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Dave Simpson - March 25-27, 2026

David M. Simpson, PhD, AICP, is currently Professor of Urban Planning in the Department of Geography at Brigham Young University. His research and applied work focus on hazards and disaster resilience, sustainability, planning practice, and the social dimensions of human–animal interaction. Throughout his career he has combined scholarly research with community-engaged planning and policy work, partnering with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community stakeholders to address challenges related to infrastructure resilience, environmental sustainability, and community development.

Prior to joining BYU, Dr. Simpson spent twenty-two years at the University of Louisville, where he held leadership roles across the university. He served as Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences, working with more than 400 faculty on workload planning, promotion and tenure review, and faculty development. He also served for twelve years as Chair of the Department of Urban and Public Affairs, where he doubled the size of the department, hired most of the current faculty, and led the creation of several new academic programs, including interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate degrees in sustainability and urban studies.

Dr. Simpson has directed multiple academic programs, including the Master of Urban Planning program and interdisciplinary sustainability initiatives, and built and directed two interdisciplinary research centers. As director of the Center for Hazards Research and Policy Development he secured more than $10 million in external grants and contracts supporting research on disaster preparedness, hazard mitigation, and community resilience. His work has been supported by agencies such as the National Science Foundation, FEMA, Research Foundations, and local, regional and State governments. Much of his work has also involved mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in applied research projects that connect academic inquiry with real-world policy and planning challenges.

Throughout his career he has been deeply involved in university governance and faculty leadership. He served as Vice Chair of the University of Louisville Faculty Senate and as the University Faculty Grievance Officer, roles that involved working closely with faculty and university leadership on issues of governance, policy, and academic personnel. For over a decade he chaired and directed the University Sustainability Council, leading a university-wide initiative involving faculty, staff, and students that helped guide sustainability planning and operations across the institution.

Dr. Simpson earned his PhD in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley, his Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, and his undergraduate degree from Duke University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).  He is married to Dr. Sandra Sephton, a biobehavioral oncologist and psychoneuroimmunologist. Together they enjoy hiking with their 4 dogs and traveling internationally.

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Dean of the School of Graduate Studies

The University of North Dakota is seeking candidates for the position of Dean of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). Reporting directly to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean will provide visionary leadership for graduate education at North Dakota’s flagship university. This role offers an opportunity to advance UND’s mission of excellence in research, scholarship and graduate student success in alignment with UND’s strategic plan, UND LEADS. 

The anticipated starting date of the new dean will be July 1, 2026, or as soon as reasonable thereafter. To find out more about this exciting opportunity, please view the position profile.

position profile

Search Committee and Timeline

The search committee for the dean of the School of Graduate Studies is be chaired by Rebecca Bichel, Dean of Libraries and Information Resources, and supported by Myers McRae Executive Search, a firm with extensive experience in higher education leadership searches.

COMMITTEE & TIMELINE