Brigham Young University Academic Vice President Shane Reese announced the hiring of Richard Gill as the dean of Undergraduate Education effective July 1.
“Rick brings to this appointment a wealth of experience in teaching General Education (GE) courses and a passion for our students and their educational experience," Reese said. "The students will be blessed by his rich gifts and talents.”
Richard Gill currently works in the College of Life Sciences as a professor and department chair in biology. He has been teaching at BYU since 2008.
Gill earned an undergraduate degree from BYU and a Ph.D. in ecology from Colorado State University. He conducted postdoctoral research at Duke University before he began his first faculty position at Washington State University.
He learned to speak Samoan while serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Auckland, New Zealand. That experience influenced his research, as he currently has ongoing research, teaching and humanitarian projects in Samoa, New Zealand and Hawaii.
Gill will replace Susan Rugh, who is retiring this summer. She has been serving as dean since 2016.
“In addition to a productive career as a faculty member, Susan Rugh has been a consistent champion for the GE program at BYU. Her dedication to and promotion of the process for evaluating our existing GE and making recommendations for a revised GE program have represented a collaborative approach that is a model of determination and respect.”
Undergraduate Education at BYU oversees several interrelated programs, including First-Year Experience and Mentoring, General Education, the Honors Program and National Scholarships.
