People
Kathy Rihl (photo: Denise Applewhite)
Spotlight
Name: Kathy Rihl.
Position: Executive assistant to Vice President for Development Brian McDonald. Managing the office. Overseeing the vice president’s schedule. Monitoring the budget and accounts. Instituting, reviewing and updating office procedures, workflow and communications. Coordinating communications with donors, trustees and other senior administrators.
Quote: “I am very fortunate to work with an outstanding group of colleagues who work hard each day to secure, recognize and celebrate gifts to the University. It is very rewarding to see how special this institution is to its alumni, parents and friends.”
Other interests: Spending time with family. Going to movies. Critiquing reality television shows with colleagues.
Staff retirements
Effective March 1: in the mason shop, mason Bernard Thomas, after 11 years.
Effective May 1: in athletics, Princeton Varsity Club assistant director Louise Gengler, after 28 years.
In brief
Pablo Debenedetti, the Class of 1950 Professor in Engineering and Applied Science, has been appointed to the newly created position of vice dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science, effective July 1.
The new position combines the responsibilities of associate dean for academic affairs and associate dean for administration into a single role, with some additions and rearrangements of responsibilities. Debenedetti’s responsibilities will include: allocation of research resources, including start-up and matching funds; planning for use of space and other facilities issues; promotion of new research initiatives and industrial collaboration; and facilitation of international initiatives.
Debenedetti is the past chair and current acting chair and director of graduate studies of the Department of Chemical Engineering. He will turn over his departmental responsibilities to incoming chair Richard Register, professor of chemical engineering, in July.
In addition to being an exceptional teacher and researcher who is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Debenedetti led chemical engineering through an important period of growth and curricular innovation. He also has directed the school’s new freshman curriculum that integrates engineering, mathematics and physics.
“I am very happy that Pablo has agreed to join the dean’s staff,” said Dean H. Vincent Poor. “I very much look forward to working with him and am excited about the work we will be able to accomplish in advancing teaching and research throughout the school.”
Roland Heck, the current associate dean for administration, is retiring but will remain with the school on a part-time basis until February. During that period, Debenedetti will focus primarily on facilities planning.
Catherine Peters, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, will step down as associate dean for academic affairs when her term ends June 30. Curricular and related responsibilities previously held by that position will be assumed by Sharad Malik, the George Van Ness Lothrop Professor in Engineering and director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering Education.
