Sue Ott Rowlands, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Northern Kentucky University, announced today that Samantha Langley-Turnbaugh has been named vice provost for graduate education, research and outreach, effective July 1. Langley-Turnbaugh currently serves as associate provost for research and graduate studies at the University of Southern Maine.
“We’re excited to welcome Samantha to our academic affairs leadership team,” Ott Rowlands said. “She brings a breadth and depth of experience that will help us continue to grow our graduate programs and strengthen our research and outreach endeavors.”
As vice provost, Langley-Turnbaugh will be instrumental in the implementation of the NKU strategic plan, overseeing transformational initiatives across the university and the region. NKU currently offers master’s degrees in 23 disciplines, graduate certificates in 28 areas, a specialist degree, two doctoral programs and a law degree. The vice provost will also lead and grow the Office of Research, Grants and Contracts. University faculty, staff and students received nearly $9 million grants from federal, state, local, and private agencies last year. Dr. Langley-Turnbaugh will also chair the NKU Research Foundation, which promotes the development, implementation, and coordination of externally sponsored and foundation-supported programs involving research, instruction, and public service.
“I am very excited to join the NKU family,” Langley-Turnbaugh said. “I have been very impressed with the faculty and staff commitment to the students. I am also excited to work with faculty and staff to build and support graduate programs, support faculty passion for research and scholarship, and build the external funding portfolio.”
As associate provost at Southern Maine, Langley-Turnbaugh oversees the school’s research administration and development office, office of sponsored programs, and its graduate studies and admissions office. Prior to her role as associate provost, she served as interim dean of graduate studies; associate vice president of academic affairs for research, scholarly and creative activity; professor of environmental science; chair of the Department of Environmental Science; associate professor; interim director of the Environmental Science & Policy program; and assistant professor.
The Kittery, Maine, native earned her doctorate in forest soils from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her master’s in soil science from the University of New Hampshire, and her bachelor’s in forest engineering from the University of Maine. She has also participated in the Wellesley Higher Education Resource Services Leadership Institute and is a member of the current class of Leadership Maine.
From NKU