John Harvard's Journal leaders in all aspects of the living and learn- governance, boards of trustees, and lead- that nonetheless manages not to provoke ad- ing environment of university life.” As past ership—has known Bacow for a couple of vocates or instigate hostile reactions. Those executive director of the White House Ini- decades, and worked with the Tufts board traits are deeply rooted in “a person of unim- tiative on Historically Black Colleges and while Bacow was president. He was also an peachable integrity,” who applies his ener- Universities, Wilson said, “I encouraged important adviser on the reforms that re- gies to institutional ends, not personal ones. President [Barack] Obama’s interest in ap- made the Harvard Corporation at the end As William Lee said in his announcement pointing Larry to the advisory board” of the of 2010 (shortly before Bacow became a fel- to the Harvard community February 11 (sen- initiative “because of the transformational low). Characterizing the president-elect as timents he echoed warmly in the news con- impact he had at Tufts.…” (Their perspec- both a friend and someone he has observed ference), having worked alongside Bacow tives remain closely aligned: Wilson is tak- in action, Chait said, “Nobody dislikes [tak- for six years, he knew this sterling résumé ing leave as an Overseer to become senior ing] credit more broadly than Larry—he is took root in “equally extraordinary human adviser and strategist to the presidents, always explicit in the attribution of credit qualities—of integrity and collegiality, in- implementing the inclusion and belonging to others.” In addressing difficult challenges, telligence and compassion, humility and report released on March 27; see harvard- he said, Bacow demonstrates “a remarkable high standards, openness and warmth.” mag.com/diversity-report-18.) ability to articulate sensitive, delicate issues Lee told the audience in Barker Center Richard P. Chait, of education with full frankness and no edge”—dealing (and watching on Facebook) that Harvard’s emeritus—whose scholarship and advisory with controversies over free speech, for in- twenty-ninth president practice have focused on higher-education stance, “with a refreshing forthrightness” inspires trust. He is not just smart,

which were then held 20 times yearly—about 500 round trips, University People with no direct flights.

Dean Dench Sunstein Shines McLean professor of ancient and modern history Walmsley University Professor Cass Sunstein and of the Emma Dench, the interim dean has won the 2018 Holberg Prize, conferred on an of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences during outstanding researcher in the arts and humani- the current academic year, will assume that post on ties, social sciences, law, or theology. The prize, a regular basis as of July 1. She succeeds Jones profes- accompanied by an honorarium of approximately ROSE LINCOLN/HPAC ROSE sor of statistics Xiao-Li Meng, who became dean in $765,000, recognizes his work on behavioral eco- MITCHELL/HPAC STEPHANIE 2012 and is on sabbatical this year; upon his return, Emma nomics and public policy, constitutional law and Cass he will be engaged with the Harvard Data Science Dench democratic theory, administrative law, the regula- Sunstein Institute, launching a journal, and will also become president of the tion of risk, and the relationship between the modern regulatory Institute of Mathematical Sciences. For a full report, with a descrip- state and constitutional law. The prize announcement called him tion of the issues on Dench’s agenda, see harvardmag.com/dench-18. “the leading scholar of administrative law” in the United States, and noted that he is “by far the most cited legal scholar in the Enduring Fellow United States and probably the world.” Sunstein and his research Charles P. Slichter ’45, Ph.D. 49, LL.D. ’96, a physicist (and son of were profiled in depth in “The Legal Olympian” (January-Feb- Lamont University Professor Sumner Slichter) whose quarter- ruary 2015, page 43). century of service on the Harvard Corporation concluded in 1995, died February 19. Slichter was senior fellow for nearly a decade. Faculty Deans The longevity of his service will not be equaled, given the Corpo- Professor of biology Brian D. Farrell (an entomologist whose field ration’s term limits, adopted in 2010. Nor is it likely that his travel work was profiled in “Brian Farrell in Bugdom,” September-Octo- on Harvard’s behalf will be exceeded: he commuted to Cambridge ber 2003, page 66) and Irina Ferreras, a curatorial assistant in the from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for meetings, Harvard herbarium, have been appointed faculty deans of Lever- ett House, succeeding Mallinckrodt professor of Departing Dean Smith physics Howard Georgi Michael D. Smith, dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences since 2007, an- and Ann Georgi.…Sepa- nounced on March 19 that he would step down and return to teaching (he is rately, Lowell House fac- Finley professor of engineering and applied sciences) upon the appointment of ulty deans Diana L. Eck a successor by president-elect Lawrence S. Bacow. Smith had the unenviable and Dorothy A. Austin task of steering his faculty through the financial crisis and recession—which announced they will step constrained distributions from the endowment, the source of about half of down at the end of 2018- FAS’s operating revenue—while advancing the enormous (and enormously ex- 2019; they have been lead- pensive) House renewal project and sustaining enhanced financial aid. A fuller ers of the House, now be-

STEPHANIE MITCHELL/HPAC STEPHANIE account of his deanship appears at harvardmag.com/smithstepsdown-18. ing renovated, for 20 years.

18 May - June 2018

Reprinted from Harvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746 but wise. He is innovative and en- always asking how Harvard can do many, many challenging issues confronting trepreneurial. He has high academic better, not just for Harvard, but for universities today”; standards and excellent judgment in the wider world. • the ability to apprehend “the huge op- people. He has a strong moral com- portunities before us in education, in re- pass and extraordinary emotional in- The Challenging Context search, and in serving the world broadly”; telligence. He relates easily to all dif- That nod to the the universe beyond Har- and ferent kinds of people and motivates vard’s footprint in Boston and Cambridge • the ability to clearly see and readily them to commit to something larger carries a larger significance. Hanging over confront “the great challenges facing us at than just themselves. He is deeply cu- the discussion of Bacow’s ever-upward a moment when the value of higher educa- rious—intellectually curious, highly higher-education record, and his ready-to- tion is being questioned, at a moment when interdisciplinary, and naturally col- roll preparation for assuming the University the fundamental truth of fact-based inquiry laborative. He has the confidence to presidency, is a pervasive sense that the ex- is being questioned and called into doubt.” set priorities and to make the hard ternal environment is threatening—perhaps The emphasis lingered on the last of those choices to implement them. He is…all even uniquely adverse. desiderata. Underscoring the point, Lee about the institution and the people In reviewing the search, Lee outlined the said the ability to assume the presidency in the institution, not about himself. three characteristics judged most important seamlessly counted “because neither we He is someone who loves Harvard, for the next president as: nor higher education have time to spare.” but whose love isn’t blind, who is • “broad and deep experience with the He amplified that Bacow acceded to the

Alumni Newsmakers Commencement Katherine A. Rowe, Ph.D. ’92, a Renaissance Headliners and medieval drama scholar active in digi- Congressman John Lewis, tal-humanities research, has LL.D. ’12—already in posses- been appointed president of sion of an honorary degree in William & Mary—the first recognition of his lifetime of woman leader of the nation’s leadership in the American second-oldest institution of civil-rights movement—re- higher education (1693); she turns to Tercentenary The-

COURTESY OF WILLIAM & MARY has been provost and dean atre as the principal guest ADVANCED STUDY, HARVARDADVANCED UNIVERSITY STUDY, COURTESY OF THE RADCLIFFE INSTITUTE FOR Katherine A. of the faculty at Smith Col- speaker for the 367th Com- COURTESY OF CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS Rowe lege.…The Andrew W. Mel- mencement. His appearance on the afternoon of May 24 comes 50 years after the class of lon Foundation, the leading source of phil- 1968 invited Martin Luther King Jr. to be its Class Day speaker; after his assassination, anthropic support for the humanities and on April 4, his widow, Coretta Scott King, appeared in his place. That background, related fields, has appointed poetElizabeth and Lewis’s connection to President Drew Faust, are detailed at harvardmag.com/ Alexander, RI ’08, a former faculty member comm-lewis-18. On Radcliffe Day, May 25,Hillary Rodham Clinton—former U.S. at Yale and Columbia, as its president; Conant senator, secretary of state, and presidential candidate—will receive the institute’s University Professor Danielle S. Allen, chair Radcliffe Medal; further information appears atharvardmag.com/rias -clinton-18. of the Mellon board of trustees, made the an- The poet and orator at the Phi Beta Kappa Literary Exercises on May 22 will be Kevin nouncement.…Columbia’s Hamilton professor Young ’92, poetry editor of The New Yorker (read a review of his new book, Bunk, at har- of American studies, Andrew Delbanco ’73, vardmag.com/bunk-18), and paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Neil Shubin, Ph.D. ’80, a National Humanities Medal hon- Ph.D. ’87 (profiled atharvardmag.com/shubin -08). orand and literary scholar who has written forcefully on higher education, has been ap- pointed president of the Teagle Foundation, which supports efforts liam Smith Colleges, has been appointed director of the Kennedy to improve teaching and learning in the liberal arts.…The Perelman School’s Institute of Politics.…Andrew Elrick, Ed.M. ’07, most re- Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center, in New York cently director of administration for the Business School’s global City, has appointed Bill Rauch ’84 as its first artistic director. He initiative, has been appointed executive director of the David Rock- was a co-founder of the Cornerstone Theater efeller Center for Latin American Studies, the University-wide en-

Company, profiled in the magazine in 1990, and tity that organizes research and learning experiences throughout has been artistic director of the acclaimed Ore- Central and South America.…The 2018 Tyler Prize for Environmen- gon Shakespeare Festival since 2007 (see “Bards tal Achievement, a leading recognition for work in environmen- of America,” September-October 2017, page 55). tal science, environmental health, and energy, will be conferred on professor of biological oceanography James J. McCarthy in Faculty and Staff AT KENNEDY HARVARD AT THE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS OF INSTITUTE THE early May; past honorands include Pellegrino University Profes- Mark D. Gearan ’78, former director of the Mark D. sor emeritus E. O. Wilson and Heinz professor of environmental Peace Corps and president of Hobart and Wil- Gearan policy John P. Holdren.

Harvard Magazine 19

Reprinted from Harvard Magazine. For more information, contact Harvard Magazine, Inc. at 617-495-5746