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Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a research university dedicated to the advancement of learning through the discovery and application of knowledge, today named renowned scholar and chemist Dr. John Derek Woollins as the Provost of the university. Dr. Woollins will assume his new role in Fall 2019 when the new academic year begins.
An eminent professor of chemistry, Dr. Woollins brings over 25 years of outstanding skills and experience in research, academia and leadership. He has spent a greater part of his career at The University of St Andrews in Scotland, where he served as Head of Chemistry, Vice Principal of Research and Innovation, Provost of St Leonard's College, and Director of EaStCHEM, the joint Research School of Edinburgh and St Andrews Chemistry Departments.
During this time, Dr. Woollins managed all research activities across the University, including developing and implementing the University’s research strategy, and proved himself to be a highly effective and progressive administrator.
Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi, Executive Vice-President, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “We welcome the new Provost Dr. Woollins, a prominent scholar in chemistry and a dedicated scientist, to Khalifa University. With his exemplary track record and special insights, we believe he will provide administrative leadership, direction, and evaluation for all academic activities and faculty affairs. In general, he will contribute to achieving the mission and vision of Khalifa University in the creation of human and intellectual capital, thus facilitating the UAE’s knowledge economy transformation drive.”
With over 600 research papers and three books to his credit, Dr. Woollins is also known for his work on the synthesis, determination of structure and applications of new molecules made with main group elements of the Periodic Table. The distinguished scholar and scientist’s work resulted in a reagent named after him – Woollins' reagent – which has been manufactured on a commercial scale for use in organic synthesis.
Dr. Woollins said: “I am honored to be appointed the Provost for Khalifa University, a leading academic institution that is consistently ranked top locally and regionally. The university has great potential in providing a world-class education, advancing research and partnering with the community and industry. I am looking forward to working with faculty, staff and students and continue to build on its strengths and achieve more milestones.”
Dr. Woollins is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and The Royal Society of Edinburgh, and a member of the European Academy of Sciences and the European Academy of Science and Arts. He was awarded an honorary PhD by the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2018 and served as Editor in Chief for the monthly chemistry news magazine, Chemistry in Britain, which he steered into its current expanded form as Chemistry World.
Dr. Woollins obtained his PhD from the University of East Anglia in 1979. He was a lecturer at Imperial College London before joining Loughborough University in 1994 as the University’s first Professor of Inorganic Chemistry.
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