May 7, 2024
Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that James Bullock has been reappointed to an additional five-year term as Dean of the School of Physical Sciences, beginning July 1.
This decision follows a thorough review, which included materials submitted by Dean Bullock and feedback from faculty, staff, campus administrators and community colleagues. During the review, Dean Bullock was praised for his collegial and approachable leadership style, commitment to promotion of the School, and fair allocation of resources. I am grateful to the review committee and its chair, Professor Sergey Nizkorodov, for their efforts throughout the process.
Under Dean Bullock's leadership, the School has added more than 20 new faculty members, improved undergraduate advising, and developed multiple education initiatives, including concentrations related to Quantum Science in Chemistry and in Physics and Astronomy.
During Dean Bullock's first term, he constituted an Industrial Advisory Board to help facilitate corporate-sponsored research projects. He also oversaw upgrades to shared research facilities and initiated the campuswide Solutions That Scale initiative to bring together researchers focused on climate change and environmental sustainability.
During Dean Bullock's tenure, the School increased extramural support, including $10.5 million in support of the Eddleman Quantum Institute and three large federally-funded centers associated with energy research and climate justice. The School's latest philanthropic initiative, EarthRise Physical Sciences, has significantly expanded the School's donor base. Dean Bullock is commended for his contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts which include an increase in women and underrepresented minority faculty members, as well as adding a school climate council and community outreach programs.
Dean Bullock is a fellow of the American Physical Society, a member and former chair of the James Webb Space Telescope User Committee, and he serves on the Space Telescope Institute Council. In 2023, Dean Bullock was named one of the most influential researchers in astrophysics by analytics company Clarivate.
Please join me in congratulating Dean Bullock on his reappointment and for his contributions to UCI.
Sincerely,
Hal Stern
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Chancellor's Professor, Department of Statistics