NMSI CEO Mary Ann Rankin Named Provost at University of Maryland

Board Chairman Tom Luce to serve as interim leader during transition

DALLAS, June 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, President and CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), has been selected as the new provost of the University of Maryland, one of the leading research universities in the country.

"This appointment recognizes the high regard for Dr. Rankin around the country as a leader in education," said Tom Luce, Chairman of the Board of NMSI.  "She has played a strong role in the success of NMSI since its inception five years ago and as CEO has taken NMSI to the next stage of national growth. We are all proud of her and happy for her."

Luce said Dr. Rankin will continue to serve as a member of the NMSI board after she assumes her position as Senior Vice President and Provost at the University of Maryland in the fall.  He will serve as interim President and CEO as well as board chair while a national search is conducted to find a replacement for her position. 

"It has been a great privilege to serve as CEO of NMSI and I look forward to continuing to support the organization's outstanding work in math and science as it goes forward," said Dr. Rankin.

In announcing the appointment of Dr. Rankin, University of Maryland President Wallace D. Loh said, "Mary Ann is one of the most visionary and innovative academic leaders in the country, and we are extremely fortunate to have her as our new Provost. Her abilities and amazing track record make for an outstanding fit with the University of Maryland as we continue to advance as a research university of national and global renown." 

Dr. Rankin joined the National Math and Science Initiative as President and Chief Executive Officer in 2011. Previously, she served as Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin for 17 years.  As dean, she oversaw construction of five science buildings and the creation of the highly acclaimed UTeach program for recruiting and training math and science teachers.  After earning her B. S. degree from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. from University of Iowa, she served as a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University.  Dr. Rankin is on the board of Southwest Research Institute.  

This week, Dr. Rankin was named one of 100 Women Leaders in STEM by STEMconnector, a publication focusing on critical STEM issues. The honored women also included former NASA Astronaut Dr. Sally Ride, who is also a NMSI board member.

During Dr. Rankin's tenure at NMSI, the organization has merged with the non-profit Laying the Foundation, which provides teacher training to prepare middle school and high school students to succeed in pre-AP and AP classes; the AP Training and Incentive Program has been expanded to the states of Indiana and Colorado, and the UTeach program has been expanded to 34 universities,  reaching a milestone enrollment of 5,500. 

About NMSI: NMSI is an agent of change that was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education and science to improve student achievement in math and science across the American public school system. NMSI is dedicated to dramatically impacting the U.S. public school system by bringing best practices to education and replicating programs nationally that have documented success in math and science education.   These programs include the Advanced Placement* Training and Incentive Program (APTIP) to prepare more high school students to succeed in college level courses, as well as the UTeach program to recruit and train more math and science teachers and the Laying the Foundation program to prepare middle school and high school students to succeed in pre-AP and AP classes.  NMSI has received major funding support for its groundbreaking national initiatives from Exxon Mobil Corporation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, with additional support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

About the University of Maryland:  The University of Maryland is a major public research university located in the city of College Park, just outside of Washington, D.C.  Founded in 1856, the University of Maryland is the flagship institution of the University System of Maryland. With a fall 2010 enrollment of more than 37,000 students, over 100 undergraduate majors and 120 graduate programs, Maryland is the largest university in the state and the largest in the Washington area. The university's proximity to the nation's capital has resulted in strong research partnerships with the federal government, including institutional support from agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Homeland Security.

*AP and Advanced Placement Program are registered trademarks of the College Board.

SOURCE National Math and Science Initiative