Campus News
Donald Smith named interim dean and vice provost of Graduate Studies
Smith brings extensive experience in graduate education, faculty leadership, research administration, and student mentorship to this role. He joined the UC Santa Cruz faculty in 1996 and, before retiring in 2025, served as distinguished professor of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology and associate dean of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.
Dear Campus Community,
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Donald Smith as interim vice provost and dean of Graduate Studies, effective July 1, 2026.
Smith brings extensive experience in graduate education, faculty leadership, research administration, and student mentorship to this role. He joined the UC Santa Cruz faculty in 1996 and, before retiring in 2025, served as distinguished professor of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology and associate dean of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.
Throughout his career, Smith has maintained an active National Institutes of Health-funded research program focused on environmental health and neurotoxicology while mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral scholars across a wide range of disciplines. His research has advanced understanding of the health effects of environmental contaminants and informed public policy and public health efforts in the United States and internationally. Among other contributions, his work helped support California’s transition away from lead ammunition for hunting and informed the development of drinking water standards for manganese in Canada.
Smith has served the campus and the UC system in numerous leadership roles, including as chair of the Department of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology and chair of the Academic Senate Graduate Council. He also served on the UC Systemwide Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs and co-chaired both the Senate-Administration Working Group on Graduate Education and the Implementation Task Force for Inclusive Excellence in Graduate Education.
An emeritus distinguished professor of Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology, Smith is also a Fellow of the Collegium Ramazzini, an international academy dedicated to advancing occupational and environmental health. He has received numerous honors for his scholarship, teaching, and service, including the 2023 Outstanding Faculty Award from UC Santa Cruz’s Division of Physical and Biological Sciences and the 2025 Career Achievement Award from the Society of Toxicology’s Metals Specialty Section.
Smith earned a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in biology from UC Santa Cruz and a master’s degree in biology from San Francisco State University through Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.
As interim vice provost and dean of Graduate Studies, Smith will focus on strengthening support for graduate students and graduate programs while advancing the Graduate Division’s mission to foster excellence in graduate education and research.
I am grateful to Smith for returning from retirement to serve in this important interim leadership role and support the continued success of our graduate community.
Please join me in congratulating Smith and thanking him for his continued service to UC Santa Cruz.
Sincerely,
Paul
Paul Koch
Interim Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor