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Three new appointments in the Office of the Provost will expand the university’s scholarship of teaching, learning and assessment while furthering its commitment to being a top student-centric university.

Mehdi Khazaeli, associate professor of the Engineering Management Program and assistant dean of Innovation and Professional Development, is stepping away from teaching to take the lead on partnership initiatives as assistant provost for research, innovation and sponsored programs. He will officially transition into the role May 15.

“I am thrilled to have Mehdi on my team, and he will officially start after he finishes his teaching commitments for the semester. Mehdi is committed to moving Pacific forward in its research and academic partnerships and has the energy and vision to make it happen,” said Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Gretchen Edwalds-Gilbert.

Khazaeli said his goal is to elevate research at Pacific, strengthen cross-campus collaborations and bolster industry and government partnerships through the position.

He also hopes to foster cross-collaboration among faculty to encourage transdisciplinary projects that appeal to a wider audience of clients, researchers and students.

“One of the main pillars of this office is expanding undergraduate research and increasing project-based learning,” Khazaeli said. “We are here for students because we have a passion for changing their lives and helping their social mobility, so we want to make sure they get experiences from research and sponsored projects paired with faculty and industry mentoring all together as a package. We have lots of opportunities for experiential learning. I'm very excited about this position.”

In addition to Khazaeli’s appointment, Professor of Sociology Susan Mannon has been named director of the First-Year Honors Program. Through the program, students live and learn together and engage in a wide range of activities, including fine arts, wellness and culinary arts. A key component of the program is the students’ close connection with the faculty director.

Valerie McDaniel, assistant professor in the department of Speech-Language Pathology, has been appointed faculty fellow of assessment.

She will collaborate with the University Assessment Committee and the Director of Academic Assessment to manage the collection, analysis and reporting of data on undergraduate success. This includes effectively sharing the results with faculty, staff and students to promote continuous improvements in student learning and working with the Center for Teaching and Learning to design professional development initiatives aimed at enhancing student learning.

“We are so fortunate to have Susie and Valerie take on these leadership roles. Susie is an outstanding teacher-scholar who regularly teaches in the core curriculum and is a gifted advisor who is committed to student success. Valerie brings a wealth of experience to the role as well as great energy,” Edwalds-Gilbert said.

McDaniel and Mannon will continue teaching as they take on the new roles. Each of the new appointments will focus on empowering students through real-world opportunities and supporting student development.

“We’re focused on creating pathways for students and faculty to work together. We have great programs in each of the schools, and by encouraging cross collaboration between them, we can expand experiential learning and prepare students to enter the workforce locally in San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced, as well as nationally,” Khazaeli said. “The Pacific vision is to be the best student-centric university in the nation. But first, we need to identify the problems and solutions we have. We want to grow into a nationally recognized hub for innovation, research and regional impact.”