Peter Yellowlees, a professor of psychiatry and director of academic information systems at the UC Davis Health System, has been named Interim Vice Provost for Instructional and Educational Technology for UC Davis effective April 15.

Yellowlees, an international expert in telemedicine and the long-distance electronic delivery of health care and education, will provide leadership in managing a myriad forms of information technology used throughout the main campus, including computing systems; data, voice and video communication services. He will supervise the IET division of 275 employees and a budget of $32 million. "Peter brings a wonderful blend of experience and expertise to campus technology, and will ably fill the position while we conduct a national search," said Provost Virginia Hinshaw.

He replaces John Bruno, who has rejoined the computer science faculty after overseeing the campus technology operation since August 1999.

Yellowlees joined UC Davis in January 2004 to pursue his research in telemedicine and eHealth. His wide-ranging research interests include current projects in robotic surgery, electronic record implementation, data mining and disease management protocols, internet email and video consultation services, the use of virtual reality for health education on the Internet, and electronic death record certification processes. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare.

Upon his arrival at UC Davis, Yellowlees also immediately engaged in collaborations with various IET projects, including a review of learning management systems. He is a member of the Campus Council for Information Technology and MediaWorks' Faculty Board of Directors.

He said: "I'm particularly interested in the potential for information technology to be the underpinning of the teaching and research missions of the university." A primary interest, he said, is to bridge the high-quality technology capacities of both the main campus and the health system campus. "I have a parallel role at the health system to the one I will have on campus, and that has advantages," he said.

"The health system has a more standardized approach to information technology infrastructure because of the need for a secure clinical environment. We are in the process of expanding that network so researchers and academics will have less need to develop their own IT systems, and will have access to more standardized information environments and support in future." Some centers and departments currently duplicate each others' activities, he noted.

Yellowlees expects to continue his research, but during his interim appointment will reduce his clinical psychiatry practice.

Before moving to UC Davis, he spent 20 years as a psychiatrist and researcher in Australia, including positions as chair of the Department of Psychiatry and director of the Center for Online Health at the University of Queensland, and chief psychiatrist for the State of South Australia.

He has published three books, has served as a consultant to governments and private sector companies in several countries and has received about $5 million in research grants.

He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology and biomechanics from the University of London, and earned his medical degree there as well.