Lisa Lewis elevated to permanent provost role at Albion College

February 26, 2024

Dr. Lisa B. Lewis, professor of chemistry, has been named provost of Albion College, President Wayne Webster announced on Monday, February 26. Lewis has been serving as Albion’s interim provost since fall 2022.

“Dr. Lewis has been an exemplary leader of our academic programs over the past year and a stalwart for innovative liberal arts and STEM education throughout her career at Albion,” said Webster. “I have been particularly impressed with the collaborative and empathetic approach she has employed while guiding our faculty through numerous transitions and challenges during this interim period. She is focused on being attentive to the needs of her colleagues and delivering the necessary support for inclusive decision-making.

“I cannot think of anyone more prepared to strategically position Albion’s curriculum for future generations in a way that builds upon our history of excellence in the liberal arts, our pioneering approach to experiential learning, and the uniqueness of our renowned centers and institutes,” added Webster.

As Albion’s chief academic officer, Lewis will have broad responsibility for academic programs, including the curriculum, faculty development, the library, academic administration, institutes and centers, and other academic support areas. She will partner with colleagues across campus to design academic programs, policies, and more that ensure an excellent academic experience for students that meets the College’s mission and the needs of the marketplace.

“I am honored to serve dedicated, caring colleagues who have a history of creating innovative learning environments and experiences that result in nationally-recognized student outcomes,” said Lewis. “I am grateful to President Webster for the confidence he continues to place in me and my faculty colleagues as we begin the important and exciting work to ensure Albion’s academic mission is delivered in the most impactful ways.”

Lewis has been a chemistry professor at Albion since 1995, and served as associate provost, associate dean of faculty, chair of the Chemistry Department, director of admission events and academic liaison, and director of the Prentiss M. Brown Honors Program. She also served as a Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) for the Britons, responsible for implementing the academic progress policy for all Albion student-athletes.

She teaches courses in introductory, analytical and physical chemistry, and chemistry courses for non-science majors. Her research interests include the chemistry of surfaces, the use of data science to advance materials research, and science pedagogy. Lewis developed two mobile apps for teaching chemistry, AcidBase and Chemical Valence, and assessed their impact on student learning. Lewis’ interests include faculty development, promoting undergraduate research and interdisciplinary study.

In 2019, she was named a science and technology policy fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Placed for the year at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate (MPS) in the Division of Materials Research (DMR), Lewis worked to support the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) by shepherding a grassroots effort to advance collaboration and coordination between government-sponsored research data producers and the materials research community-at-large. In that role, she recommended policy to the White House National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for MGI.

Lewis is a longstanding mentor and a past co-chair of AAC&U/Project Kaleidoscope’s (PKAL) annual STEM Leadership Institute. She served on the PKAL Advisory Board, advising the PKAL Executive Director and AAC&U on strategic planning in support of quality undergraduate STEM education and inclusive excellence. As a Visiting Associate for the American Chemical Society’s Committee on Professional Training, Lewis conducts site visits to chemistry departments that seek accreditation by ACS.

Lewis received her B.S. in chemistry from King’s College, her M.S. in physical chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, and her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California – Irvine.