Santiago Schnell, the William K. Warren Dean of the College of Science, has appointed three new department chairs, effective July 1, 2022: David Galvin will become chair of the Department of Mathematics; Morten Eskildsen will become chair of the Department of Physics, and Steven Corcelli will become chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
“I wish to thank the outgoing chairs for their many years of service to their departments and to the college,” Schnell said. “Their steadfast leadership, particularly during the pandemic, has provided me–and Interim Dean Hildreth before me and former Dean Galvin before him [no relation to David Galvin] with a supportive and reliable team during extraordinary times.”
About the incoming chairs
Professor David Galvin will succeed Professor Richard Hind who has served as chair of the Department of Mathematics since 2019. Galvin received his bachelor of arts in mathematics from Peterhouse, University of Cambridge, and his doctoral degree in mathematics from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He joined the faculty of the University of Notre Dame in 2007 as assistant professor, and attained the rank of full professor in 2020. Galvin received the Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 2017. His research focus is on graph theory, combinatorics, and discrete–as opposed to continuous–structures, for example, decision trees, codes, and networks of any kind. Galvin has co-authored more than 40 papers and teaches an array of undergraduate and graduate courses. He has advised five graduate students and worked with 27 undergraduate students at Notre Dame.
Professor Morten Eskildsen will succeed Professor Peter Garnavich who has served as chair of the Department of Physics since 2017. Eskildsen received both his bachelor and master of science degrees in physics from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and his doctoral degree from Risø National Laboratory and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. He joined the faculty of the University of Notre Dame in 2003 as assistant professor and attained the rank of full professor in 2014. Eskildsen is a fellow of the American Physical Society and received the Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching in 2016. His research seeks to understand the physics of unusual or unconventional superconductors as well as skyrmions in chiral magnets. Eskildsen has co-authored more than 70 papers. He has advised fourteen graduate students and worked with 25 undergraduate students at Notre Dame.
Professor Steven Corcelli will succeed Professor Brian Baker, Coleman Professor of Life Sciences, who has served as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry since 2016. In 2019, Corcelli was appointed the first Associate Dean for Interdisciplinary Studies and Faculty Development in the College of Science. Corcelli received his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Brown University and his doctorate in chemistry from Yale University. Corcelli joined the faculty of the University of Notre Dame in 2005 as assistant professor and attained the rank of full professor in 2017. He is a two-time recipient of the Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2012, 2019). His research interests focus on theoretical and computational studies of ions in aqueous solution and biomolecular binding processes. Corcelli has co-authored more than 80 papers and advised three postdoctoral researchers, 23 graduate students and 24 undergraduates.