Vice provost for faculty affairs announces retirement; search announced

Peter Hollenbeck, vice provost for faculty affairs, has announced his plans to retire from Purdue effective June 30. The campus community is invited to celebrate his career and wish him well at a retirement reception from 3:30-5:30 p.m. May 16 in the Purdue Memorial Union West Faculty Lounge.

“Peter’s long and distinguished career as a neurobiologist as well as an administrative leader — and especially his commitment to the success of Purdue faculty and department heads — sets a very high bar for whomever succeeds him,” said Patrick Wolfe, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs and diversity.

An internal search for the next vice provost for faculty affairs will begin immediately. Those interested in learning more about the position and/or applying can find more information here.

Hollenbeck was named to his current position on July 1, 2016, after serving for two years as associate vice provost for faculty affairs. In his role, he has provided strategic direction for a wide array of faculty-focused initiatives including recruitment, retention, resource allocation and faculty development. He has also overseen a variety of faculty policies including promotion and tenure.

Before joining the provost’s office, Hollenbeck was a professor of biological sciences and former associate head of the department at Purdue. A cellular neurobiologist whose research focused on the life cycle of mitochondria in the nervous system, he received two “Seeds for Success” honors from Purdue in recognition of attracting large external research awards.

He has received the Top Teacher award from the College of Science and the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award from the university and also is a member of the Teaching Academy and the Book of Great Teachers. As a faculty advisor for the Purdue Run Club, he was named Purdue Club Sports Advisor of the Year in 2010, 2014 and 2015.

Hollenbeck joined Purdue in 1997 as an associate professor of biological sciences. Before that he was an assistant and associate professor at Harvard Medical School. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from Purdue and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and conducted his postdoctoral research as a Jane Coffin Childs Fellow at the Medical Research Council–Cell Biophysics Unit in London, England.

Search advisory committee members to find the next vice provost for faculty affairs are:

• John Gates, vice provost for diversity, inclusion and belonging.   
• Cherise Hall, vice provost for finance and strategic initiatives.
• Laurie Jaeger, department head and professor of basic medical sciences.
• Linda Renzulli, department head and professor of sociology.
• Jenna Rickus, vice provost for teaching and learning.