URI announces Marc B. Parlange as its 12th President

From URI after its Board of Trustees meeting, April 12, 2021 – and Monash Univ. responds (below)

The Board of Trustees of the University of Rhode Island is pleased to announce the selection this evening of Professor Marc B. Parlange, provost and senior vice president of Monash University in Australia, as URI’s 12th president. 

He will succeed David M. Dooley, who joined URI in July 2009 and has overseen the transformation of URI into a leading research institution with growing recognition of programs of distinction. Parlange’s appointment is effective Aug. 1. 

The Presidential Search Committee voted unanimously during its April 1 meeting to recommend Parlange as the top candidate. The recommendation to appoint Parlange as URI’s next president to the full Board of Trustees was also approved unanimously at its Monday, April 12 meeting. 

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, to parents who emigrated from France and Ireland, Parlange will leave Monash, a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, with an enrollment of more than 85,000 undergraduate and graduate students. 

He will take over Rhode Island’s flagship public research University with its approximately 17,000 undergraduate and graduate students, a budget of more than $800 million, four campuses and a global reputation for excellence in coastal and ocean sciences, environmental and ocean engineering, health care and health sciences, chemical and forensic sciences and cybersecurity. 

Recognized internationally 

Prior to joining Monash, Parlange was dean of the faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia in Canada. Parlange served as dean of the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering from 2008 through 2013 and as director of the Institute of Environmental Engineering from 2004 through 2007 at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. He has also held research and teaching appointments at Johns Hopkins University and the University of California, Davis.

Parlange is recognized internationally for his expertise in environmental fluid mechanics. His wide-ranging research in hydrology and climate change addresses a number of important issues, such as heat transfer in cities, energy dynamics in hurricanes, and water resource challenges in remote communities, particularly in West Africa. He has a master of science degree and Ph.D. from Cornell University and a bachelor of science degree from Griffith University in Australia. 

URI’s Board of Trustees formed a Presidential Search Committee last fall, and met throughout the winter to review applications and interview candidates. A Search Advisory Committee was formed last fall and community forums were held that helped to create the Presidential Profile, which outlined expectations, priority opportunities and challenges the next president should be prepared to address. Parlange was selected from more than 200 applicants. 

Four guiding principles

“The presidential search was built on four guiding principles that Dr. Parlange exemplifies,” said Thomas M. Ryan, chair of the Presidential Search Committee and member of the Board of Trustees. “He is an accomplished, visionary leader who has focused on student success and experience. During his career, he has advanced global scholarly research, navigated financial challenges, built strong industry partnerships and developed a depth of experience in creating more diverse and inclusive communities, especially for the most historically marginalized members of our society. 

“Dr. Parlange’s leadership will accelerate the University’s already impressive trajectory. We found a champion for all faculty, staff, and students, a president who can lead the University toward another transformational decade. 

“We were fortunate to have a wide and deep pool of extraordinary candidates, which is a credit to the leadership and vision that have transformed URI during the past 12 years and the incredible dedication and bold agenda of President David M. Dooley, and our faculty and staff,” Ryan said. 

Board chair thanks University community

“We thank the University community for its input, advice and counsel during this search process,” said Margo Cook, chair of the Board of Trustees. “The selection of a new president is the most important decision we have made as a new board. Ultimately, we sought and found what we enthusiastically believe is the right fit for URI — a president prepared for these challenging times, with an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion and, importantly, someone who shares the University’s global vision.“ 

Parlange comes full circle

“I am honored and delighted for this opportunity to lead the University of Rhode Island,” Parlange said. “My life and career have taken me around the world, and to be coming full circle here, back to Rhode Island where I was born, is especially meaningful for me.  I have great appreciation for the transformational work President David Dooley has achieved, and a real sense of excitement and ambition for the future. 

“The University can seize the opportunity to step up and provide leadership in these challenging times. We can stand out as an inclusive institution that creates new ways of learning and teaching, that pioneers innovative interdisciplinary research, and that, through its industry and public partnerships, is a major driver of the Rhode Island economy. 

“I’m looking forward to joining the community — cheering for the Rams, attending musical and theater performances, seeing what you create in the maker space, and learning about your life and experiences today at URI and in Rhode Island.”

Statement of Monash University:

Professor Parlange joined Monash in June 2017; prior to this he was Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

During his four years at Monash, Professor Parlange has made significant contributions to the University, including championing its academic quality through attracting and developing talented staff, providing world-leading research opportunities through new research institutes and Centres, and developing institutional alliances with key university partners around the world.

He also strengthened the University’s multidisciplinary research, particularly across the priority areas of policy and governance, sustainable development, artificial intelligence and data science, and health sciences.

Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AC thanked Professor Parlange for the multidisciplinary lens he brought to the role of Provost during his time at Monash.

“I warmly congratulate Professor Parlange on this very significant appointment, although he will be much missed by our University community,” Professor Gardner said.

“Professor Parlange’s contribution to Monash has supported research excellence at world-leading quality. I also express my sincere thanks for the collegial engagement he brought to the role of Provost, and the role he played in the life of the University community.”

Among his many achievements and contributions, Professor Parlange was instrumental in conceptualising and initiating The Melbourne Experiment – a landmark interdisciplinary research collaboration examining the effects of the urban environment before, during and after the COVID-19 shutdown to create an international model for post COVID-19 urban recovery and renewal.

He also oversaw the focus on thematic research – which included the creation of new University-wide institutes, most notably the Victorian Heart Institute and Monash Data Futures Institute – as well as major changes in the planning of student profile and strategic pricing, establishing committees to ensure Monash was able to balance the competing demands of government regulation and student demand.

In addition, the development of research performance, including a major increase in success in nationally competitive grants, also led to Monash’s rise in international rankings, with the University improving its position in the four major global university ranking systems, including rising into the top 50.

Professor Parlange will leave Monash University at the end of June to take up his new appointment at The University of Rhode Island.