Professor Taraneh (Tara) Dean appointed as LSBU’s new Provost
LSBU is delighted to announce that Professor Taraneh (Tara) Dean has been appointed as Provost. She will take up the role from September 2021. Professor Pat Bailey, who has been Provost since 2018 leaves LSBU at the end of June. Professor Deborah Johnston, LSBU’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education will be interim Provost between Professor Bailey departing and Tara starting with us in September.
Professor Dean brings with her a wealth of experience. She was previously Pro-Vice Chancellor Research and Enterprise at the University of Brighton, where she has been in post since 2016 and was the strategic lead for all research and enterprise activities. Prior to Brighton, Tara held a number of senior positions at the University of Portsmouth including Dean of Research and Dean of the Faculty of Science.
Originally from Iran, Tara came to the UK aged 16, as an international student to complete her education. She completed her first degree in Biological Chemistry at the University of Essex and obtained her PhD from Kings College in London in 1989. Following post-doctoral work at the National Heart and Lung Institute (now part of Imperial College), she moved to the University of Southampton for her first academic position.
Professor David Phoenix, Vice-Chancellor of LSBU said: “We are delighted that Professor Tara Dean has accepted the role as Provost at LSBU. She showed a clear understanding of the LSBU Group potential and LSBU’s ambition to further grow our academic standing with respect to both teaching and research. Her passion for social mobility and equality clearly shone through the selection process, as did her appreciation of the importance of LSBU’s history and values. She is recognised as having had a significant impact at her previous institutions and I look forward to working with her as she takes up the role of Provost in September.”
Professor Tara Dean said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Provost of LSBU. I look forward to working with students and staff across the University as well as other colleagues from the LSBU Group. The University’s EPIIC values (Excellence, Professionalism, Integrity, Inclusivity and Creativity) and the vision within the University’s Group Corporate Strategy are inspiring and I look forward to working with colleagues in delivering the ambitions set out in the plan.”