Congratulations to individuals in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who were appointed leadership positions in the college!
Gustavo Macintosh, LAS Dean’s Professor and professor in the Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, was appointed interim associate dean for graduate studies and faculty development. In his new role, Macintosh will lead college efforts to support and enhance graduate programs in LAS. He will also manage LAS award programs and faculty development initiatives.
Macintosh’s primary research focus is molecular biology, specifically interactions between plants and insects, and studying how cells recycle their structures. He analyzes how these processes influence plant development and their barriers to control plant diseases. His work is supported by significant funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Science Foundation, and other distinguished institutions.
Macintosh earned his Ph.D. in biological chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires. His one-year term began July 1.
Pavan Aduri, professor of computer science, was appointed interim chair of the Department of Computer Science. He joined Iowa State University in 2001 and served as the department’s director of graduate education leading up to his chair appointment.
Aduri’s research focuses on understanding computational resources such as time, memory, and randomness to solve various tasks. His significant contributions in the areas of computational complexity theory, data stream algorithms, and replicable computations have earned him recognition and funding, including a recent $262,300 grant from the National Science Foundation, to explore new directions in algorithmic replicability. This collaborative project will address the problem of ensuring replicability and reproducibility in scientific research, particularly for studies that rely on randomized computations.
Aduri earned his Ph.D. from the University of Buffalo. His interim role began on July 1, and it will continue through June 30, 2025.
Stacy Tye-Williams, associate professor of communication studies in the Department of English, was named the new director of the college’s interdisciplinary communication studies program.
Tye-Williams’ research focuses on how people narratively construct meaning in and about organizations. Her ultimate focus is how people use communication to organize and create – or fail to create – positive outcomes in their organizations and their communities. She examines dark and bright side processes in organizational life, ranging from workplace bullying to the power of collective storytelling, to bring about positive change. In addition to extensive published works, she also offers her areas of expertise to entities like school districts, hospitals, and national organizations.
Tye-Williams previously served as the Department of English’s director of graduation education and engages in a diverse range of service and leadership roles on and off campus. She earned her Ph.D. in organizational communication from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her three-year term was effective July 1.
Larissa Begley, teaching professor in the Department of History, was appointed interim director of African and African American Studies.
Begley is a cultural anthropologist whose research focuses on sub-Saharan Africa, especially the issues of race, ethnicity, identity, conflict, violence, and reconciliation in Rwanda and the Eastern Republic of the Congo. Begley has been active in the program’s growth over the last 10 years and received this year’s LAS Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Introductory Teaching.
Begley earned a Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. Her three-year term was effective July 1.
Sebastian Braun, professor of world languages and cultures, was reappointed as director of American Indian Studies. He is an ethnohistorian who studies the intersections of culture, ecology, economics, and politics, with a focus on Native and rural communities. His work is focused on contemporary issues, including laws and policy.
Many of Braun’s published works, such as a comprehensive overview of Native policies and issues in the United States, which he wrote for the International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs, are utilized by the United Nations. He has been asked by this global organization to provide testimony on several important issues, and to serve as an expert witness in legal trials.
Braun has served as director of the program since 2015, when he joined Iowa State as a faculty member. He earned a Ph.D. in anthropology from Indiana University. He began his second three-year term on July 1.