Meet Binghamton’s new provost and deans

As Binghamton University’s new provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, Donald Hall’s responsibilities include working with vice presidents and deans to build on the University’s foundation and help articulate a vision for Binghamton’s academic future.

Hall, who served as the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of Faculty of Arts, Sciences and Engineering (AS&E) at the University of Rochester, succeeded Donald Nieman in July. Others in new leadership positions include Shelley Dionne, School of Management dean, and Kanneboyina Nagaraju, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences dean.

Donald E. Hall, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs

Predecessor: Donald Nieman, who returned to the faculty in July 2022

Academic degrees: bachelor’s degrees in German and political science from the University of Alabama; master’s in comparative literature from the University of Illinois; doctorate in English from the University of Maryland

Favorite class you have taught or taken: Taught — Any grad seminar on Victorian literature (novels, poetry, prose nonfiction), as long as the students are open to long, difficult works of literature. Taken — My first graduate class at the University of Illinois, with an English professor named Dale Kramer, on the Victorian novel. It led to my own career path as a Victorian studies professor.

Interests/hobbies: Reading, hiking, cooking, travel (my husband’s family is from Tokyo so we have been to Japan countless times — just not since the pandemic started)

Last great book you read: Everything by Octavia Butler and Haruki Murakami. But the most enjoyable light read I’ve done in the past year was the English translation of Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka. The book is wild and irreverent fun. Any book that has granny and grandpa in their retirement home getting up from their rockers to pull out their secret cache of machine guns and restart their career as hired killers — you know it is going to be weird and interesting.

Last great movie or TV show you watched: Almost any episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Some of my best friends in my teenage years were southern drag queens.

Historical person or people you would like to have dinner with: Oscar Wilde and Gertrude Stein

Favorite part of Binghamton University: The people! Everyone is down to earth, committed to students, collegial and great to be around.

Shelley D. Dionne, School of Management dean

Predecessor: Upinder Dhillon, who died in April 2022

Academic degrees: bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Rochester Institute of Technology; MBA and doctorate in organizational behavior from Binghamton University.

Favorite class you have taught or taken: Taught — Leadership: It is a course where you don’t have to wait to start practicing what you are learning. Students can apply what they learn that day as they lead clubs, volunteer in the community and work on group projects. Taken — I was so fortunate to have taken PhD seminars from some of the top scholars in the leadership field: Fran Yammarino, Leanne Atwater, Bruce Avolio, Boas Shamir and Don Spangler, and I also was able to attend seminars and work with Bernie Bass.

Interests/hobbies: Home restoration

Last great book you read: I don’t know about “great,” but I’m halfway through an interesting read by Steven Strogatz, The Calculus of Friendship: What a Teacher and a Student Learned About Life While Corresponding About Math. I tease my husband because he sticks to a narrow reading selection (math and physics books) and so he bought this book for me because there’s a story woven through the calculus.

Last great movie or TV show you watched: Honestly, not a big movie or TV watcher, but I will watch any home improvement show.

Historical person or people you would like to have dinner with: Marie Curie, Harriet Tubman and Katharine Graham

Favorite part of Binghamton University: The people

Kanneboyina “Raju” Nagaraju, School of Pharamacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences dean

Predecessor: Gloria Meredith, who stepped down in January 2022

Academic degrees: bachelor’s degree in veterinary science and animal husbandry from the College of Veterinary Sciences in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India; master’s degree in veterinary immunology from Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Uttar Pradesh, India; and doctorate in human immunology from Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Favorite class you have taught or taken: Immunology and Virology. I was intrigued and fascinated by the immune system’s ability to distinguish self and non-self (me and not me). After completing veterinary school, I decided to pursue a master’s in immunology and a doctorate in immunology instead of veterinary clinical practice. I spent most of my academic career investigating how the immune system targets self-tissue in rare autoimmune and inflammatory muscle disorders such as myositis.

Interests/hobbies: Biking and hiking. I immensely enjoyed biking around the BWI Marshall Airport bike trail in Maryland with my friend Andreas Ortmeyer for over 10 years, and I haven’t found a bike trail that I love here in Binghamton. I love mainly walking alone at Otsiningo Park to clear my thoughts while enjoying the serenity of the Chenango River.

Last great book you read: A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I thoroughly enjoy reading Bryson’s books because he explains and simplifies complex things more effortlessly.

Last great movie or TV show you watched: Better Call Saul

Historical person or people you would like to have dinner with: Nelson Mandela

Favorite part of Binghamton University: Collegial colleagues