Speakers
Dr. Jill Sible
Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Professor of Biological Sciences
Dr. Jill Sible, a first-generation college student, serves as Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. Dr. Sible earned her BS in Biochemistry at the University of New Hampshire and her PhD in Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology at Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed postdoctoral students at a Howard Hughes Medical Institute laboratory at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
At Virginia Tech, Dr. Sible led an innovative cell biology research program for a decade then moved into university administration to work for the improvement of the undergraduate learning experience and equitable outcomes. As the Academic Associate Dean in the College of Science, she spearheaded the design and construction of SCALE-UP classrooms and adoption of the associated active learning pedagogy. She has taught courses in cell and molecular biology, developmental biology, and cancer biology and cites the learning experiences she shares with her students as her greatest professional reward.
In her current role, Dr. Sible oversees the offices of General Education, First Year Experiences, Undergraduate Research, and Academic Integrity. In recent years, she helped lead the revision of Virginia Tech’s general education curriculum to be more integrated, outcomes-oriented and infused with contemporary pedagogy. She chaired a Beyond Boundaries committee to develop strategies to bring experiential learning opportunities to every Virginia Tech student. She has also worked on the vision and programming for Virginia Tech’s new classroom building and new undergraduate science laboratory building. During the pandemic, provided leadership for the VT Bound program, which offered a fully remote curriculum to over 80 international first-year students who could not come to campus. She led a community of practice to ensure safe and engaging laboratory experiences throughout the pandemic. She has led over $10M in sponsored research projects including $8M in STEM education grants with a focus on promoting equity and inclusion. She is the lead investigator for a $1M Howard Hughes Medical Institute Inclusive Excellence Grant. Dr. Sible is a National Academies of Science Education Fellow in the Life Sciences.
Dr. Brandy S. Faulkner
Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies
Dr. Faulkner is a professor in Virginia Tech's Department of Political Science and is also Gloria D. Smith Professor of Africana Studies. Her teaching and research focus on race and public policy and U.S. constitutional law. She has recent publications on the judicial impact of Shelby v. Holder on civil rights and political engagement and the economics of environmental gentrification in Virginia’s Tidewater region. She’s a multi-award winning faculty member, some of which include the College of Liberal Arts and Human Science’s Teaching Excellence Award, its Diversity Award, the university’s Edward S. Diggs Scholar Award and its Principles of Community Award. As a community-centered organizer, she works with both institutions and individuals engaged in advocacy, community leadership, and public policy development. When she's not working, you'll usually find her teaching community classes in African history and science, cooking, or playing video games.
Dr. Cyril R. Clarke
Executive Vice President and Provost
A veterinarian, clinical pharmacologist, teacher, researcher, and academic leader, Dr. Cyril R. Clarke became the Executive Vice President and Provost of Virginia Tech in January 2019, after serving in an interim capacity since November, 2017.
A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Clarke earned his professional veterinary degree from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, a Ph.D. in veterinary pharmacology from Louisiana State University, and a master's degree in higher education from Oklahoma State University. He is certified as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology.
Clarke’s initial faculty appointment in 1987 was at Oklahoma State University, where he also served as an academic department head and associate dean for academic affairs in the Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Funded by corporate, state, and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Institutes of Health, Clarke’s research focused on the interactions between antibacterial agents, animal patients, and infectious microbes. He is a recipient of the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence.
In 2007, Clarke was appointed to the position of Lois Bates Acheson Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University. During his time as dean, Clarke continued to teach pharmacology to veterinary students. In addition to receiving a Certificate of Excellence in Teaching, Clarke was honored with the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association's President's Award. He subsequently joined Virginia Tech in October, 2013, as Dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
Clarke has held leadership positions in several professional organizations, including the board of directors for the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and past president of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology. He is also a past member of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board and the AVMA Council on Education, the accrediting agency for veterinary medical education in North America.