Biology Department leader, Tania Baker, resigns from her position.
Alan D. Grossman, the Praecis Professor of Biology and a distinguished member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) faculty, has been appointed as the interim department head of the Biology Department. His tenure begins following the resignation of Tania Baker, the E.C. Whitehead Professor of Biology, who steps down from her role on May 31.
Grossman, an American microbiologist, joined MIT's Department of Biology in 1988 after a postdoc fellowship in the Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology at Harvard University. He has since made significant contributions to the department, earning praise from Michael Sipser, the Barton L. Weller Professor of Mathematics.
Sipser has commended Grossman for his work, expressing gratitude for his agreement to take on the interim department head role. Similarly, he has lauded Tania Baker's contributions to the department, highlighting her dedication and expertise.
Grossman's research focuses on studying how bacteria sense internal and external conditions and control basic cellular processes, with a particular interest in the organism Bacillus subtilis. His pioneering work has led to the identification of the Spo0J protein and its function.
In addition to his research, Grossman has demonstrated strong leadership skills, serving as the first director of the graduate program in microbiology at MIT from 2008 to 2012. He has also been a key figure in the interdepartmental, interdisciplinary graduate program in microbiology, which integrates educational resources across participating departments and fosters a vibrant educational and research community.
Tania Baker, on the other hand, has made significant strides in understanding how AAA+ unfoldases enzymes recognize and manipulate damaged cellular proteins. Her research has earned her numerous honours, including election as a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Baker's commitment to teaching has also been recognised, earning her a Margaret MacVicar Faculty Fellowship and a School of Science Teaching Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Education. She served as associate department head for the Department of Biology from 1999 to 2004 and was appointed as department head in 2012.
As Grossman steps into his new role, the search for a permanent department head is underway. Until then, he will lead the department, building on his extensive leadership experience within MIT Biology and his commitment to fostering a thriving research and educational community.
[1] Source: MIT News
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