Keith Bonin appointed as associate provost, research and scholarly inquiry

This is a guest post from the Office of the Provost:

Keith Bonin

Wake Forest Provost Rogan Kersh announced ­­­March13 that he has appointed Professor Keith Bonin as Associate Provost for Research and Scholarly Inquiry. He will begin serving as Associate Provost on July 1. The position was previously held by Bruce King, professor of chemistry.

Bonin has exemplified extraordinary leadership in and out of the classroom, engaging faculty and students alike through his extensive support of faculty research, curriculum expansion, and cross-department/school initiatives.

“Wake Forest faculty, students, and staff are creative and productive researchers and scholars,” Bonin says. “I look forward to assisting them in their current research efforts and to helping them seek new opportunities to further their scholarly creativity and innovation across all disciplines.”

Bonin joined the Wake Forest Physics faculty in 1992 and during his time at Wake Forest has served the University as a dedicated faculty member, Physics Department Graduate Program Director, and Physics Department Chair from 2007-17. Additionally, Bonin was a vital force in the recent development of the Department of Engineering, helping develop the original ‘white paper’ laying out a plan for engineering instruction at Wake Forest.

Over the last decade, he helped secure over $3.5 million in external funding for numerous projects from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center, and the Research Corporation.

His collaborative spirit is evidenced in his many connections with Wake Forest Health Sciences researchers and doctors. In his words, he views “faculty scholarship as the important foundation for the central focus of Wake Forest’s Pro Humanitate mission – to discover, transmit, and interpret new knowledge for the benefit of humanity. Investment in our faculty’s scholarship pays the best dividends toward achieving our purpose of having our faculty, staff, students, and alumni lead lives that matter.”

In April 2017, Bonin received the inaugural Academic Leadership award from the Wake Forest College Board of Visitors in recognition of his academic leadership and institutional vision as well as his abiding commitment to academic excellence, diversity and inclusion, classroom innovation, and commitment to students and the Wake Forest community.

“I look forward to working closely with Keith to enhance the visibility and impact of Reynolda Campus faculty’s research and creative work,” said Provost Kersh. “His blend of vision and collaborative style will be perfectly suited for this vital post.”

Bonin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics at Loyola University—New Orleans and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Maryland.