May 21, 2025

To Our URI Community,

I am pleased to share that Brenton DeBoef, dean of the Graduate School and professor of chemistry, has been named interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. His appointment follows an open nominating process during which he received multiple nominations from Arts and Sciences faculty.

Brenton will step into this new role following the departure of Dean Jen Riley at the end of the month, who recently was named provost at the University of New Hampshire. Brenton’s tenure as interim dean will begin June 1, 2025.

Brenton has been a faculty member within the College of Arts and Sciences since 2005, when he joined URI as an assistant professor after serving as a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. He rose to associate professor in 2010 and to professor in 2017. He also served as director of the Rhode Island Idea Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Training Core.

He has received numerous awards, including research and teaching excellence awards from URI in 2019, an early career award from the National Science Foundation, and the Pfizer Green Chemistry Award. His research spans the fields of organic and organometallic chemistry, and he frequently is an invited speaker at academic conferences.

Brenton has led the Graduate School since 2020, first as interim dean before being named permanent dean in August 2021. In that role, he has provided leadership for graduate education at the University, including guidance and innovation in the development of graduate programs, and he has worked closely with deans and faculty.

He holds doctoral and master’s degrees in organic chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, summa cum laude, from Evangel College.

Shortly, we will launch a national search for a permanent dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and will name an acting dean of the Graduate School.

I appreciate Brenton’s willingness to step into this interim role, and we look forward to the continued success of the College of Arts and Sciences under his leadership. Please join me in congratulating Brenton on this appointment.

Sincerely,

Barbara Wolfe
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs