Beverly Wendland has been named the next provost and vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia University. Her appointment is effective July 1.
Dr. Wendland most recently served as senior advisor to the chancellor at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, following a five-year term as the institution’s provost and executive vice chancellor. Before moving to Washington University, Dr. Wendland served for five years as the James B. Knapp Dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. She first joined the Johns Hopkins faculty in 1998 and served as chair of the department of biology from 2009 to 2014.
In her research, Dr. Wendland studies the molecular mechanisms of endocytosis using yeast as a model system. Through her work, she aims to advance the understanding of heart disease, cancer, and other health issues.
“Serving as provost at West Virginia University is a very meaningful opportunity to help advance a land-grant research institution at a pivotal moment in its historical arc,” said Dr. Wendland. “I look forward to partnering with faculty, staff, and students to build on the strengths of WVU, support academic excellence across disciplines, and extend the University’s impact for West Virginia and the communities it serves.”
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Wendland holds a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a doctorate in neurosciences from Stanford University in California.