Mauricio Terrones named 2024 BTAA Department Executive Officer Fellow

Mauricio Terrones, George A. and Margaret M. Downsbrough Head of the Department of Physics and Evan Pugh University Professor, has been named a 2024 Big Ten Academic Alliance Department Executive Officer Fellow.
 
The BTAA is the academic consortium of the Big Ten universities and the United States’ preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. Through its leadership program, participants who have demonstrated exceptional ability through University administrative assignments or other significant positions in public, private or professional organizations are aided in further developing their leadership and managerial skills.
 
As department head of physics, his priorities include the development of a synergistic strategic plan; improving the visibility of research, achievements, and activities; continuing the promotion of stellar and strategic diverse hires and co-hires in areas that require strengthening at Penn State; the enrollment of outstanding diverse students; an improved excellence in teaching and learning at the graduate and undergraduate level; the establishment of mentoring programs for students, postdocs, faculty, and staff that embody inclusion and team work; and the improvement of the working atmosphere that would naturally benefit diversity, equity and inclusion within the department.
 
In addition to Terrones, four other Penn State faculty members were selected as fellows for the 2024 program based on their significant contributions and potential to achieve even more as University leaders. 
 
The DEO Fellows will participate in a seminar Nov. 14-16 at the Big Ten Conference Center in Chicago. The event will focus on departmental leadership skills, the challenges facing DEOs, and broader issues.
 
For more information about this program, visit the BTAA Department Executive Officers Program website and the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs website.