The City University of New York (CUNY), the nation’s largest urban public university, appointed distinguished chemical engineer Rosemarie Wesson Ph.D. associate vice chancellor and university vice provost for research, effective Dec. 1. Wesson now leads the Office of Research at CUNY Central, with staff teams devoted to Research Integrity & Compliance, Research Development & Programs, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
A fellow in both the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Wesson most recently served as associate provost for research at The City College of New York—a senior CUNY’s senior college—where she oversaw a 30 percent expansion of the college’s research portfolio. She previously served as associate dean for research at the college’s Grove School of Engineering.
Wesson also worked for nearly 14 years at the National Science Foundation, focusing on sustainable chemistry, engineering and materials. As a program director, she managed both private sector and academic research portfolios focused on energy, nanotechnology, emerging research opportunities and the field of chemical and biological separations.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a master’s and doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, becoming the university’s first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in the field. She has held faculty positions at the University of Maryland, Ohio State University and Louisiana State University, and enjoys significant industry experience, with over two decades at the Dow Chemical Company.
Wesson has been a member of the AIChE Board of Directors, making history as the first women to serve as the institute’s treasurer.
Her numerous awards and recognitions include the Women in Engineering Leadership Award from City College; the Minority Affairs Committee Eminent Chemical Engineers Award from AIChE; the AIChE Black Achievers in Chemical Engineering Award; the NSF’s Director’s Award for Collaborative Integration; and the NSF Director’s Award for Superior Accomplishment.
