Dr. Gail Burd was appointed the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in August 2008. In this role, Dr. Burd works closely with campus leaders to coordinate programs that will advance the academic mission of the University and help colleges and departments develop and assess their academic degree programs. Dr. Burd is also a Distinguished Professor in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cell Biology and Anatomy, and the Committee on Neuroscience with a research program focused on development and neural plasticity in the vertebrate olfactory system. In prior administrative roles at the University of Arizona, Dr. Burd served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Science, the Interim Department Head of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and the Associate Department Head of Molecular and Cellular Biology. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, she has chaired several committees for national professional organizations, served on numerous government panels for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, and received awards for her undergraduate teaching.