UNC Charlotte announces new leadership for three academic areas–business, engineering, and urban research and community engagement–pivotal to the University’s mission to serve the greater Charlotte region and beyond. All three leaders will report to Joan Lorden, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs.

• Jennifer Troyer is named dean for the Belk College of Business, one of the Carolinas’ largest business schools. Troyer has served UNC Charlotte for 20 years, most recently as interim dean of Belk College.
• Robert Keynton is appointed dean for The William States Lee College of Engineering, a leader in engineering research and education for nearly 50 years. He joins from the University of Louisville where he was interim executive vice president for Research & Innovation and professor and Lutz Endowed Chair of Biomechanical Devices in the Department of Bioengineering at the Speed School of Engineering.
• Byron White will join UNC Charlotte as associate provost for the newly reorganized Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement, focused on connecting UNC Charlotte with community research, collaboration, and engaged scholarship to continue building a thriving, inclusive region. White joins from StrivePartnership where he is vice president and executive director of the public-private collaborative focused on cradle-to-career outcomes in urban education.

“We sought innovative, accomplished leaders who are gifted in building nationally recognized programs and research, developing strong internal and external partnerships and possessing a deep commitment to student success,” said Lorden. “Following a national search, we believe these three leaders embody the right qualities to further UNC Charlotte’s mission as we enter the next chapter in the University’s story.”

About Jennifer Troyer, dean of the Belk College of Business
Troyer has served UNC Charlotte for 20 years, most recently as interim dean of Belk College.

Prior to becoming interim dean of the Belk College, Troyer served in the same role for UNC Charlotte’s College of Health and Human Services. Previously, she held several administrative roles within the Belk College, including senior associate dean, associate dean for research and graduate programs, and chair of the Department of Economics. As associate dean, she was instrumental in the creation of three new graduate certificates and the Master of Science in Management program. She also helped launch the first Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) program in the Carolinas.

Troyer holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in Economics from Florida State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Memphis. She has conducted policy-relevant research on the quality of U.S. nursing homes, the cost-effectiveness of medical interventions and strategic behavior in the pharmaceutical industry. Her research has earned several awards and has been funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Read more about the Belk College of Business.

About Robert Keynton, dean of The William States Lee College of Engineering
Keynton led the creation of the Speed School of Engineering Bioengineering Department and its associated curriculum at the University of Louisville and was successful in realizing the vision to achieve national recognition of the bioengineering program by being named a Wallace H. Coulter Foundation Translational Partner. Keynton’s area of expertise is development of biomedical micro-electromechanical systems (BioMEMS) and cardiovascular mechanics, the development of micro Total Analysis Systems (uTAS), experimental and computational microfluidics, acoustic transducer design and fabrication, and experimental fluid mechanics. Author of over 100 published works, he has applied his research in areas as diverse as diabetic retinopathy, detection of autism and diagnosis of lung cancer. Keynton holds 15 patents for his discoveries.

Keynton is an elected fellow in the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). He received a B.S. in Engineering Science and Mechanics from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Akron.

Read more about The William States Lee College of Engineering.

About Byron White, associate provost for the Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement
Byron White will lead the Office of Urban Research and Community Engagement (known historically as Metropolitan Studies). Comprising the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, the Women + Girls Research Alliance, the Charlotte Action Research Project and Engaged Scholarship, its interdisciplinary partnerships will focus on increasing access to community-based learning and community-engaged research, streamlining collaboration among shared research, and expanding community partnerships.

White previously served as vice president for university engagement and as chief diversity officer at Cleveland State University, vice chancellor for economic advancement at the Ohio Department of Higher Education, and associate vice president for community engagement at Xavier University, following a career at the Chicago Tribune. He received a B.S. in journalism from Ohio University, an M.A. in social science from University of Chicago and an Ed.D. in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. He led the successful applications for the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification at both Cleveland State University and Xavier University by facilitating the co-design of strategies to demonstrate alignment of curriculum and research with the changing demands of an urban workforce and civic needs. He also co-developed programs to support engaged scholarship through grants for community-engaged research, training by industry experts and community recognition.

3 Earthquakes just shook North Carolina halfway between Charlotte and the Tennessee boarder, according to the USGA. The largest of the 3 quakes had a magnitude of 2.3 and was rated as a 3 by the USGA’s user submitted ‘felt report’.

The most recent of the 3 quakes occurred last night at 10:11 pm, with a magnitude of 2.1 and an epicenter of 35.292°N 82.513°W (just south of Hendersonville, NC and about 80 miles west of Charlotte).

Earthquakes have been increasing in frequency around the Charlotte region over the past few years. Last year, we saw a 4.4 magnitude quake hit Decatur, TN, and a couple months ago, a 2.6 magnitude quake rocked a small town just north of Charlotte.

The Carolinas have been known to experience the occasional damage-causing earthquakes.

According to USGS.gov, “The largest earthquake in the area (magnitude 5.1) occurred in 1916. Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the inland Carolinas every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once each year or two.”

UNC Charlotte is recognizing the legacy of retiring Chancellor Philip L. Dubois and First Lady Lisa Lewis Dubois by renaming the University’s uptown Charlotte Center City School Building in their honor. Regarded as a centerpiece to Dubois’ 15-year term as chancellor, the 11-story glass structure on the corner of 9th and Brevard Streets will now be known as The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City (The Dubois Center).

The $50.4 million facility, which opened in fall 2011, is the only University of North Carolina classroom building conceived and designed specifically to serve the business, organizations and people in an urban center. The Uptown campus building is part of the 1.2 billion facility construction and renovation program Dubois completed during his tenure as chancellor. The space, which accommodates more than 1,300 students annually who are earning bachelor’s or master’s degrees plus almost 2,600 more participating in continuing education options, includes 25 state-of-the-art classrooms and design studios, meeting and performance spaces. The Projective Eye Gallery, located near the lobby, regularly exhibits the work of artists known locally, nationally and internationally.

“Phil came to me with this audacious idea of starting a new campus right in the middle of uptown Charlotte,” said Erskine Bowles, president of the UNC System when the concept was first proposed. “Over time, we were able to convince the legislature this building could make an enormous difference, that it could drive business and opportunities for Charlotte and the region for decades to come.”

Proximity to the University’s highly ranked part-time MBA evening program and continuing education programs for those who live and work uptown, as well as to more than 1,800 University, corporate and community events every year fulfill Dubois’ original vision to elevate the University’s profile in the Charlotte region and beyond.

“We knew we needed to have a more substantial and visible presence,” Dubois said. “That led to the decision to make our No. 1 campus construction priority a new building in Center City.”

Dubois’ foresight has been confirmed by the subsequent development of the surrounding neighborhood, which includes installation of popular First Ward Park, positioned between The Dubois Center and the city’s thriving business district, and a new light rail station, which provides more than 100 daily stops to the University’s main campus in University City.

Throughout the city, including on the main campus, are evidence of the civic contributions of Lisa Lewis Dubois, efforts that extend far beyond the traditional role of a university first lady. A passion for providing a platform for women led to serving as co-chair of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Women’s Summit, whose outcomes guided the implementation of the Women+Girls Research Alliance, housed at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. Her imprint is evident on numerous education and cultural efforts that have made a difference in the lives of countless Charlotteans.

“The legacy of Chancellor Phil Dubois and First Lady Lisa Lewis Dubois is not limited to their leadership within the walls of the UNC Charlotte campus,” said Michael L. Wilson ‘93, chair of the UNC Charlotte Board of Trustees. “They have worked diligently to connect UNC Charlotte to the greater Charlotte community; as the city grew, UNC Charlotte grew with it.”

The Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City is more than just a building; it’s a tangible example of the University serving the needs of a growing urban region, consistent with the institution’s mission.

“The change in the University’s visibility has paid real dividends,” Dubois said. “I feel good about leaving UNC Charlotte in a strong position as an integral partner in this great city.”

To read more about the Dubois’ leadership at UNC Charlotte, visit the Dubois Legacy Series. Visit the UNC Charlotte media assets website for a collection of photos and videos of The Dubois Center.