May 26, 2009      

MEDIA CONTACT: Thai Phi Stone
202-994-6424; tpstone@gwu.edu

PROFESSORS C. DIANNE MARTIN AND MARIA FRAWLEY JOIN
THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON--Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Donald R. Lehman has appointed two faculty members to positions in the Office of Academic Affairs to support GW's mission of academic excellence and intellectual engagement across the University, including the University Honors Program.

C. Dianne Martin, professor of engineering and applied science, will become associate vice president for graduate studies and academic affairs effective June 1, 2009. In her new role, Dr. Martin will enhance and develop in-depth programs at the graduate and undergraduate level, as well as promote the faculty's scholarship and research endeavors.  
 
"I am extremely pleased that Professor Martin will be joining the Academic Affairs team," said Dr. Lehman. "Her extensive academic administrative experience, both at GW and at Zayed University in Dubai, will be a great asset to the University as she handles her new responsibilities."

Dr. Martin added, "GW has already set a high standard for academic excellence, and I look forward to further strengthening the University's focus on undergraduate engagement and research. I also am eager to help our graduate schools increase resources for marketing, recruiting and fellowship support for their diverse programs."

Dr. Martin was most recently the interim associate dean for student affairs in the School of Engineering and Applied Science. She joined GW in 1983 as a computer science instructor and chaired the computer science department from 2002-2005. From 2005-2007, Dr. Martin served as dean of the College of Information Technology at Zayed University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She received a Doctor of Education degree in teacher education from GW in 1987.

Also effective June 1, 2009, Maria Frawley, professor of English, will become executive director of the University Honors Program. "It is a great pleasure to appoint someone with such outstanding academic credentials to this position," said Dr. Lehman. "I anticipate that Professor Frawley will bring new perspectives to the Honors Program educational experience as she continues to implement the program's strategic plan."

"I'm extremely pleased to have an opportunity to help develop the University Honors Program in ways that best enable us to nurture the natural curiosity and intellectual ambitions of a cohort of academically gifted students across the University," said Dr. Frawley. "I hope we can also provide new teaching and research opportunities that will benefit faculty and students alike."

Dr. Frawley joined the GW faculty in 2003 as an associate professor of English. She has served as the deputy director for the Writing in the Disciplines program and currently serves on the University Committee on Research, the Columbian College Research Advisory Council and the Center for Innovative Teaching Ad Hoc Faculty Advisory Committee. Dr. Frawley received a doctorate in English from the University of Delaware in 1991.

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