Dennis ArpMichael Ibba, Ph.D., dean of Chapman University’s Schmid College of Science and Technology, has been appointed chair of the National Science Foundation (NSF) federal Advisory Committee for Biological Sciences. In the position, he will have a key national role influencing biology research and education.
Ibba will begin in January, with his appointment lasting through 2024.
As chair of the NSF committee, Ibba will be the lead advisor to the NSF Biological Sciences director, overseeing a committee of more than 20 members from a variety of institutions and representing all disciplines of biology.
“Being a part of this important committee provides a real opportunity to contribute to the broader national research agenda in every aspect of the biological sciences,” Ibba said. “I feel very honored to be asked to chair this committee, an appointment which speaks to Chapman’s continuing upward trajectory as a research institution.”
Ibba has been dean of Schmid College since July 2020. Previously he was professor and chair in the Department of Microbiology at Ohio State University as well as the associate director of the university’s Infectious Diseases Institute. He was also the co-director of a National Institutes of Health Cellular, Molecular, and Biochemical Sciences Training Program.
In addition to his leadership role as dean of Schmid College at Chapman, Ibba continues his research exploring how bacteria resist antibiotics and how scientists can use such knowledge to develop new therapies to overcome antibiotic resistance.
