University of Oregon molecular biologist Andy Berglund has been named an interim associate dean of the UO Graduate School, according to an announcement Monday from Kimberly Andrews Espy, dean of the Graduate School and vice president for the Office of Research, Innovation and Graduate Education.

Berglund's appointment will become effective in the middle of July. He succeeds Mia Tuan, an education studies professor at the UO, who was recently appointed acting dean of the College of Education.

Berglund – an associate professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, and a member of the UO's Institute of Molecular Biology – will work with Espy and associate dean Sandra Morgen in promoting and supporting graduate education efforts across campus. He was chosen through a nomination process last month that was open to tenured faculty.

 “The graduate school team is thrilled to have Andy join us in promoting graduate education excellence, innovation and inclusion," Espy said, in an e-mail announcing his appointment. "He brings valuable experience working with graduate students, connecting to outside partners to drive innovative approaches to graduate study, and abundant enthusiasm for enhancing the graduate student experience.”

Berglund joined the UO in 2002 after post-doctoral work at the University of Colorado.  He is recipient of the prestigious Burroughs Wellcome Fund Fellowship in the Life Sciences and the Basil O’Connor Scholarship. He has been a member of the Department of Chemistry's Graduate Recruiting Committee since 2004 (chair of the committee since 2010), director of graduate studies for the chemistry department over the past three years and served on more than 30 thesis committees.

He co-led the development last year of a new track in the biology master’s program for bioinformatics, which combines coursework at the UO with internships in industry, academics and government.

- from the UO Office of Strategic Communications