Alison Morrison-Shetlar, vice provost and dean of undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla., has been named dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, and professor of biology at Elon University. Her appointment by Provost Steven House comes after a national search.
Morrison-Shetlar is a native of Scotland, a noted biologist and an experienced teacher and administrator at several universities in Europe and the United States. She will begin her duties June 1, succeeding Pam Kiser, who has been serving as interim dean for the past year.
“Dr. Morrison-Shetlar brings to Elon a rich set of experiences and skills gained during a 30-year career in higher education,” House said. “She has been a champion for excellence in teaching and a strong advocate for the foundational role that the liberal arts and sciences play in preparing students for graduate school and their careers. In addition, her outstanding record as a research scientist will be a strong asset as we pursue our strategic plan goals to advance Elon’s science programs. We are thrilled that she has accepted our invitation to lead the 19 departments and more than 20 programs of Elon College.”
“I am honored and delighted to join Elon University, an institution that is renowned for its commitment to engaged learning and enhancing the academic experience of students,” Morrison-Shetlar said. “Outstanding faculty and staff are the foundation of Elon College’s success, and I am looking forward to working together to continue to build a tradition of learning-focused achievements.”
At UCF, Morrison-Shetlar has overseen 11 offices and programs, including undergraduate studies, academic services, the general education program, undergraduate research, pre-professional advising, interdisciplinary studies program, faculty development, experiential and service learning, the McNair Program and SACS Quality Enhancement Program. She has worked with the college deans and led curricular and program development across all disciplines.
Morrison-Shetlar has a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry, along with a doctorate in biomedical science, from Dundee College of Technology, Dundee, Scotland. She served as a research scientist at the Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology, London, from 1984 to 1988. In 1989 she was invited to be a senior scientist at the Max-Planck Institute in Dortmund, Germany, and established and served as head of the molecular biology department. She taught courses in molecular biology and physiology at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, prior to moving to the United States in 1993, when she served as a visiting faculty member and researcher at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn., and Trinity College, Hartford, Conn.
Morrison-Shetlar joined the biology faculty at Georgia Southern University in 1995 and was later named director of the university’s Center for Excellence in Teaching.
In 2002, Morrison-Shetlar joined the University of Central Florida (UCF) as director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning. She was named dean of undergraduate studies in 2006 and added duties as vice provost in 2008.
As assistant director for Project Kaleidoscope, an international alliance of educators in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs, Morrison-Shetlar co-led work on a $1.3 million National Science Foundation grant to increase engagement and retention of students in the STEM disciplines. She has been co-investigator on 12 National Science Foundation grants, receiving nearly $3.5 million in funding.
Morrison-Shetlar is the co-author of a book titled “Teaching Creatively: Ideas in Action,” and has published scores of peer-reviewed articles on molecular biology, and effective teaching and learning. She received excellence in teaching awards from Georgia Southern University in 1997 and 2001, was named a distinguished professor of teaching and learning by the State of Georgia Board of Regents in 1998-1999 and 1999-2000, and was nominated for U.S. Professor of the Year in 1999 and 2000.
Morrison-Shetlar’s scientific research has focused on the field of marine molecular biology. Her areas of expertise are in the molecular, biochemical and immunological study of marine organisms such as the dogfish shark, mummichog and long-horned sculpin. Using physiological, molecular and biochemical techniques, her lab has been able to clone, sequence and compare isoforms of the sodium-hydrogen transport protein, generate antibodies to the proteins and locate the protein in gill tissue using immunohistochemistry. Most of this research has taken place at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Maine.
Morrison-Shetlar provides consultancies, workshops and keynote addresses nationally on teaching and learning with a focus on learning-community development. She is founder and chair of the Florida Faculty Development Consortium (FFDC) and was co-chair of the Southern Regional Faculty Instruction and Development Consortium (SRFIDC) from 2004 to 2007.
As dean of Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, Morrison-Shetlar will lead more than 200 full-time faculty members. Elon College graduates about 500 majors annually and provides the common core curriculum for all of Elon University’s undergraduate students. Students in Elon College study in 37 academic majors and 19 interdisciplinary programs.