UNLV REBELS

Dr. Neal J. Smatresk was appointed interim President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Aug. 6, 2009. Since 2007, he had served as Executive Vice President and Provost, where he was responsible for leadership and administration of all academic and research programs, spanning 15 colleges and two professional schools. Dr. Smatresk received his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. Following post-doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, he joined the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA) department of biology in 1982. In his 22 years at UTA, he served as Chair of Biology and later Dean of Science, until his appointment as the chief academic officer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2004. During his tenure, the University of Hawaii at Manoa entered the ranks of the top 25 federally funded institutions, gained three National Academy of Science members, and received recognition from the Chinese Ministry of Education as a Confucius Institute, an honor shared by only 11 other U.S. institutions.

Dr. Smatresk has received a number of teaching awards, and his research in cardiorespiratory physiology has resulted in over 50 papers and book chapters, and grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. As the chief academic officer of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Dr. Smatresk has led the efforts to forge a new strategic plan that commits to improving educational access and success for its diverse students, to provide regionally responsive research growth for the improvement and diversification of the Southern Nevada economic base, and to supply critically needed services for this rapidly growing region.

In addition to his teaching and administrative roles, Smatresk has devoted considerable effort to kindergarten to doctorate (K-20) science outreach programs and teacher professional development and has participated in a number of consortia focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career development. He has been deeply engaged in community college articulation efforts in Texas, Hawaii and now in Nevada and has worked to expand educational opportunity and access for underserved populations.