Professor of History Ethan Pollock named Brown University’s new dean of the College

"Part of what makes learning and teaching here incredibly powerful and exciting is our students' enthusiasm for shaping their own academic experiences and bringing different expertise, backgrounds and life experiences into the same room to study and think about complex problems," Pollock said. "I think Brown students thrive because they take pleasure in the brilliance of others, and because there's a wide range of ways to be successful."

An accomplished teacher and scholar

Pollock will oversee the undergraduate academic deans and staff responsible for administering instruction and research in support of Brown's more than 7,200 undergraduate students. The College has approximately 75 staff members and employs more than 500 student employees.

During his tenure as history department chair, Pollock led the creation of a postdoctoral program, supported career development for faculty and advanced fundraising, among many accomplishments, according to Doyle.

"Ethan brings phenomenal perspective to this role, and his background and strengths will complement our other senior leaders' expertise in engineering, biology and medicine, public health and the more quantitative social sciences," Doyle wrote. "In addition to his scholarly expertise and academic work, he has excelled at managing a large academic department and serving the different needs of students, faculty and staff."

Pollock holds a bachelor's degree in history from Tufts University as well as master's and Ph.D. degrees in history from the University of California, Berkeley. He spent two years as a U.S. history teacher in Moscow before earning his doctorate and has served as a fellow at George Washington University, Columbia University, the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, and the European University Institute. From 2003 to 2006, he was an assistant professor of history at Syracuse University.

Since arriving at Brown in 2006, Pollock has taught undergraduate and graduate courses on Russian and Soviet history, the nuclear age and the Cold War. In 2016, he was presented with Brown's William G. McLoughlin Prize for Teaching Excellence in the Social Sciences.

"I approach the world as a historian and a humanist," Pollock said. "I'm also a historian of science, and in that capacity, I have a deep interest in understanding how science can function well, and the conditions necessary for scientists to thrive, whether they're students or scholars."

Pollock's research and writing has been funded by numerous organizations, including Fulbright-Hays, the International Research and Exchanges Board, the Social Science Research Council, and the American Council of Learned Societies. He is the author of two books, including an examination of Soviet politics, science and ideology during the first years of the Cold War.

As the University's research enterprise continues to grow, Pollock said he will advocate for expanded research opportunities for undergraduates and integrated approaches to curriculum development and knowledge production across the range of academic experiences at Brown, from undergraduate through post-graduate.

Leading the College amid a national climate in which trust in higher education is frequently tested and universities are facing challenges to their ability to fulfill crucial aspects of their missions will require focus on building trust and a culture of listening, Pollock said.

"I think we're in an important moment for the University, and I'll look for ways to build trust, explore difference safely and respectfully, and create space where we can make mistakes and learn and grow," Pollock said. "When students use their time at Brown to explore and examine their core beliefs and open themselves to changing their positions and their understanding of the world, they graduate in a far better position to contribute to it."

Pollock said he looks forward to developing relationships with more students, faculty, academic leaders, alumni and parents - and promoting a culture in which staff are supported and can excel in their roles.

"Building relationships at Brown is such a privilege, and it's one I'm thrilled to embrace as dean," Pollock said. "I love being around such smart, engaged and interesting students, faculty and staff who help me see the world anew every day."