Distinguished academic leader Steven Currall joins SMU as Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Distinguished academic leader Steven Currall joins SMU as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Currall, a psychological scientist, becomes SMU’s chief academic officer as the University begins its second century of operation. He will oversee all aspects of academic life, including admission, faculty development, libraries, the curriculum and study abroad. He will supervise SMU’s seven degree-granting schools and will hold departmental appointments in three of them – Management and Organizations in the Cox School of Business, Engineering Management, Information, and Systems in the Lyle School of Engineering, and Psychology in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.
Most recently, Currall served as senior advisor for strategic projects and initiatives to the UC Davis chancellor, and previously served as dean of the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis.
“Steven Currall brings the perfect combination of experience and skills to lead SMU’s rise among the nation’s best universities,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “He brings interdisciplinary perspectives that are central to our academic mission going forward. He possesses expertise in the sciences and technology as well as in the humanities and social sciences, insights that are critical for SMU’s progress and that reflect the challenges and opportunities of a complex society. We are delighted to welcome him to SMU and back to Texas.”
“I am thrilled and honored to join the SMU community as the next provost,” Currall said. “SMU has a foundation of academic excellence, its teaching and research are transformational, and its interdisciplinary ethos fosters innovations by faculty and students that are positively impacting Dallas, the State of Texas, the nation, and beyond. I am grateful to President Turner and the search committee for the opportunity to serve SMU. I look forward to listening, learning, and partnering with my colleagues to propel SMU into an ever higher orbit.”
Currall served as dean of the Graduate School of Management at UC Davis for more than five years, during which time the school reached the highest ranking in its history, before becoming the chancellor’s advisor. He describes himself as an “organizational architect” and has conducted research in organizational behavior, innovation, entrepreneurship, emerging technologies, trust and negotiation, and organizational governance.
He is lead author on Organized Innovation: A Blueprint for Renewing America’s Prosperity (Oxford University Press, 2014) and a frequently quoted source for national and international media.
A native of Kansas City, Mo., Currall received his Ph.D. in organizational behavior from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., a master of science in social psychology from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a bachelor of arts cum laude in psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
As chancellor’s advisor at UC Davis, Currall has facilitated campus-wide deliberations on the university’s strategic vision for its role in the 21st century, including how UC Davis will address global challenges relating to food, health, and energy. He developed plans for an additional UC Davis campus in Sacramento. He co-led development of a blueprint for increasing annual research expenditures to $1billion. He led the development of a new framework for recognizing faculty excellence and a methodology for eliminating faculty salary disparities due to gender or ethnicity.
Currall also has served as the vice chair and member of the executive committee of the board of directors for the 10-campus University of California system's Global Health Institute.
He spent 12 years at Rice University, where he was the William and Stephanie Sick Professor of Entrepreneurship in the George R. Brown School of Engineering and a Rice faculty member in the departments of management, psychology, and statistics. He was founding director of the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship. He was formerly vice dean of enterprise and professor of management science and innovation in the Faculty of Engineering Sciences at University College London and a visiting professor at the London Business School.
At the invitation of the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Currall served as a member of the Nanotechnology Technical Advisory Group. Other honors include:
- Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2013
- Grand Velocity Award for Academic Entrepreneurship, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, 2006
- Entrepreneur of the Year Award®, Ernst & Young’s regional Supporter of Entrepreneurship category, 2005
- Price Foundation Innovative Entrepreneurship Educator Award, Stanford University Technology Ventures Program (School of Engineering), 2004
Currall’s appointment ends a nationwide search through a committee led by SMU Cox School of Business Dean Albert Niemi.
“Steve Currall will be an outstanding addition to the SMU leadership team,” said Niemi. “In particular, his background in strategy and planning will be a tremendous asset as SMU embarks on a new strategic plan for 2016-2025.”
“I want to thank Steve for his dedication to UC Davis over the years, and in particular while he served as my senior advisor during this last year,” UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi said. “Steve will bring to Southern Methodist University strong academic leadership and a deep understanding of the needs of students, faculty and staff. We know he will contribute to and help advance the wonderful culture and distinguished reputation of SMU.”
Currall will be joined in Dallas by his wife, Cheyenne Currall, Ph.D. Read Currall’s full curriculum vitae.
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SMU is a nationally ranked private university in Dallas founded 100 years ago. Today, SMU enrolls approximately 11,000 students who benefit from the academic opportunities and international reach of seven degree-granting schools.