BRISTOL – Roger Williams University on Wednesday named Ioannis N. Miaoulis as its next president.
Miaolis has served as the president and director of the Boston Museum of Science since 2003. Prior to that, he served as dean of the College of Engineering, associate provost, interim dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and a professor of mechanical engineering at Tufts University.
“Ioannis Miaoulis possesses the perfect blend of experience, gained at a top-flight educational institution, and entrepreneurial spirit, which he exhibited at the Museum of Science, Boston,” said RWU Board of Trustees Chair Tim Baxter in a statement. “In a rapidly changing higher education environment, that deep knowledge will help RWU build on its established strengths on the Bristol campus and at Rhode Island’s only law school. And his strategic know-how will help RWU to continue developing the innovative programs and workforce training that make University College so vital to the community.”
Miaolis succeeds Donald J. Farish as the school’s 11th president. Farish died in July 2018. Since then, Andy Workman has been serving as interim president.
“RWU has all the ingredients to become a national model for transforming higher education,” said Miaoulis in prepared remarks. “This university is prepared to build on its proud traditions and set itself apart from the crowd, propelled by its unique mix of liberal arts and professional programs, its top-notch faculty and its hub of innovation in Providence. Distinguished by its commitment to experiential education and community engagement, RWU is ready to prepare all learners to excel in a rapidly changing world – and to tackle the problems that matter most to society.”
Miaoulis will begin in August.
RWU Trustee Marcia Morris, co-chair of the Presidential Search Committee, said Wednesday, “President-Designate Miaoulis will be an asset not just for RWU but for all of Rhode Island. He will be a powerful advocate for building on the tremendous array of STEM-related programs at RWU. He is also a big believer in the importance of critical thinking and the role that the liberal arts plays in educating all students. He is a transformative leader with an innate understanding of how to make educational endeavors relevant and fun.”
RWU retained the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller in its search process for a new president.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor. Email himat Bergenheim@PBN.com.
