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University of Scranton president Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., announced that\u00a0WeiDong\u00a0Zhu, Ph.D., has been named provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, effective July 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Zhu was selected following a highly competitive national search and will join the president\u2019s cabinet, providing academic and strategic leadership to advance the University\u2019s mission. Working closely with deans and faculty, the provost helps guide the development of curricula and directs academic programming across the University\u2019s three colleges. The provost\u00a0is responsible for\u00a0providing leadership and oversight for the academic division\u2019s budget; undergraduate and graduate programs; teaching and research activities; the University\u2019s library; and the faculty.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Zhu comes to Scranton from Saint Peter\u2019s University, a Jesuit sister institution in New Jersey, where he has served in\u00a0numerous\u00a0academic leadership roles since being hired in\u00a02007. He is currently the interim vice president for academic affairs at Saints Peter\u2019s. Since assuming this role in August 2024, he has guided Saint Peter\u2019s through a period of significant institutional evolution, creating its newest strategic plan, restructuring academic departments for mission-aligned relevance and infusing Ignatian values into faculty development, core\u00a0revision\u00a0and high-impact practices.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDr. Zhu brings a breadth of experience and mission-centered leadership to The University of Scranton,\u201d Fr. Marina said in a community email announcing the hire. \u201cHe is a deeply accomplished academic leader and scholar whose record and achievements reflect both intellectual distinction and a deeply humanistic approach to higher education, especially in a Catholic and Jesuit setting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond his recent work as chief academic officer at Saint Peter\u2019s, he was\u00a0the co-director\u00a0and later director\u00a0of its Center for\u00a0Microplasma\u00a0Science and Technology from 2009-2018; chair of the Department of Applied Science and Technology, 2014-2018; vice president\u00a0and briefly\u00a0president of the faculty senate, 2016-2018; and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, 2018-2024.<\/span><\/p>\n As a dean, Dr. Zhu led the largest college at Saint Peter\u2019s, focusing on academic innovation and financial and strategic stewardship. Earlier, as department chair, he helped\u00a0establish\u00a0new academic concentrations, implement revised\u00a0curricula\u00a0and enhance lab-based learning for biochemistry,\u00a0biotechnology\u00a0and physics programs, as well as dual-degree engineering partnerships.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Zhu\u00a0helped secure more than $2 million in research grants\u00a0and the establishment of the federally-funded Center for\u00a0Microplasma\u00a0Science and Technology. Through collaborations with partner institutions, Dr. Zhu\u00a0mentored\u00a0high school,\u00a0undergraduate and graduate students, helping develop future scientists.<\/span><\/p>\n A first-generation college student, Dr. Zhu was born in China. He came to the U.S.\u00a0to pursue a doctoral degree at Stevens Institute of Technology. He credits his personal journey, including early challenges with language and cultural adjustments, for shaping his compassionate, community-focused approach to leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Zhu earned a Bachelor of Science in physics and education and a Master of Engineering in material science and engineering from Soochow University in China. He also holds a Ph.D. in physics from the Stevens Institute of Technology. He is a graduate of the 18-month Ignatian Colleagues Program, which included formative experiences such as a silent retreat at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat Center in Colorado and an immersion trip to Lima, Peru.<\/span><\/p>\n An accomplished researcher and scholar in plasma\u00a0physics, he holds two patents in the United States and six in\u00a0China, and\u00a0has had\u00a0numerous\u00a0peer-reviewed journal and conference publications.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n