Dr. Erica Owen has been named the new associate dean of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.
Owen, a specialist in international political economy, began her new appointment July 1. She has been a faculty member at GSPIA since 2018. In her new position, she will serve as chief academic officer of the School, fostering the development of faculty and research, while working to implement the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and initiatives related to curriculum.
"I'm so grateful to Dr. Owen for taking on this important position within our school. As we've expanded the associate dean role, she will play leading roles in advancing curriculum innovation, supporting faculty, and elevating our research activity,” Dean Carissa Slotterback said.
In addition to a long track record of published research, Owen has held a range of leadership positions at GSPIA, including service as the Director of the doctoral program (2019-2021), an elected member of the Faculty Assembly Committee (2020-2022), Faculty Assembly president (2019-2020), and as the co-convenor of GSPIA’s Internal Research seminar.
Owen earned her BA magna cum laude in 2005 with a dual major in Political Science and Economics at the University of Rochester, and earned her Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Minnesota in 2010. Owen then served (2010-11) as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton’s Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance before becoming an assistant professor in political science at Texas A&M University in 2011.
“I am excited for the opportunity to work with GSPIA faculty, staff, and students in a new capacity. I am particularly excited to build on momentum within the school regarding curriculum innovation and fostering an inclusive and equitable learning environment,” Owen said.
As she forges ahead in her new position at GSPIA, she will be actively engaged in curriculum initiatives, mentoring new faculty, and continuing to grow community engagement initiatives.