Chemistry Chair at UC Irvine Named UCSD Vice Chancellor

The chairwoman of the chemistry department at University of California, Irvine has been named vice chancellor for academic affairs at UC San Diego, a key position overseeing most faculty-related matters on the campus.

Marjorie C. Caserio will succeed Harold K. Ticho, who is retiring under the UC statewide policy regarding retirement age.

“We are extremely fortunate at UCSD that a person of Marjorie Caserio’s academic caliber and leadership strengths has agreed to take on this key position,” UCSD Chancellor Richard C. Atkinson said in announcing the appointment.

The London-born Caserio began as assistant chemistry professor at UC Irvine in 1965. From 1982 to 1984, she served as chairwoman of the UC Irvine Academic Senate, and chaired the full statewide UC Academic Senate from 1985 to 1986. She also served as faculty representative to the UC Board of Regents from 1984 to 1986.

Her research in chemistry centers on physical organic reactions, investigating the physical and chemical events that occur when organic material is transformed into another material.

Caserio also chairs of the committee on professional training for the American Chemical Society, which sets guidelines for the teaching of chemistry at 580 of the nation’s colleges and universities.