Jeffery Gibeling, who has provided leadership to the programs and resources for the more than 4,000 graduate students and more than 700 postdoctoral scholars at UC Davis on an interim basis since the fall of 2002, has been appointed dean of Graduate Studies after a national search.

Gibeling has spent more than a decade directly involved in graduate education policy at UC Davis, serving as dean of Graduate Studies, chair of the Davis Division of the Academic Senate, executive associate dean of Graduate Studies and chair of the Graduate Council. Gibeling was also involved in graduate affairs in the department of chemical engineering and materials science and as chair of the biomedical engineering graduate group.

"I've been especially impressed with Jeff's depth of knowledge about the history and culture of graduate education at UC Davis. It's unmatched," said Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef. "He has provided strong leadership in reorganizing the office of Graduate Studies, in developing new programs, and in helping us attract the best students. We look forward to his continuing contributions to the successes of the campus."

As dean, Gibeling plays a lead role in ensuring the quality of UC Davis' graduate academic programs and encourages the development of new degree programs, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and interdepartmental graduate groups.

"Graduate students are vital to the function of the university — and contribute substantially to the economic, cultural and social health of the state," Gibeling said. "I am looking forward to addressing the challenges that lie ahead for our graduate students and postdoctoral scholars — particularly in the area of increasing graduate student financial support."

Gibeling oversees the Office of Graduate Studies, which provides central support services for graduate and postdoctoral education, including recruitment, admissions, enrollment, financial support, professional development, quality of life programs, and retention and degree completion.

The office also works closely with faculty to create new graduate programs and collaborates with the Academic Senate Graduate Council to develop and implement academic policies.

As dean, Gibeling is developing a five-year plan to address what he says is an "urgent need" for additional graduate student support in order for UC Davis to remain competitive with other institutions for the top students, and to accommodate rising costs and increasing enrollments. This plan includes providing higher stipends for graduate fellowships, accommodating growth in graduate enrollments and increases in fees, and reinforcing and adding to the success of UC Davis' graduate groups.

"A key element of the plan will be to allocate new campus funds in ways that stimulate and reward graduate program excellence," noted Gibeling. "This approach will enable programs with high potential to attract the best students to strengthen their national and international reputations."

Other activities that Gibeling has initiated within Graduate Studies include expanding outreach and recruiting efforts, providing assistance to faculty who are writing training grant proposals, offering new professional development workshops for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, and developing new information technology tools to assist graduate program staff and faculty.

"This is a very exciting time to be engaged in graduate education," said Gibeling. "There are certainly many challenges, including the need to recruit and graduate more students from underrepresented populations and to maintain international enrollments.

"But, my sense is that there is a growing awareness within UC and across the country of the tremendous value of graduate education to our state and nation and the critical need for investment in this area."

Gibeling has served on the UC Davis faculty for more than two decades, beginning his tenure in the Division of Materials Science and Engineering in 1984. He began his career at Stanford University, where he received his bachelor's in mechanical engineering, and his master's and doctorate in materials science and engineering.

Gibeling's appointment as Graduate Studies dean was confirmed this week by the UC Regents, and his new term begins July 1.