Towson University: Sidd Kaza Named Towson University's Associate Provost For Research And Dean Of Graduate Studies

Press release from Towson University:

Kaza will be the inaugural leader in this important role for Academic Affairs and
the university

This message was sent on behalf of President Kim Schatzel and Melanie Perreault, Provost
and Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs:

Dear Towson University students, faculty & staff,

We are very pleased to announce that Sidd Kaza, Ph.D. has accepted the senior leadership
position as Towson University’s Associate Provost for Research and Dean of Graduate
Studies. Dr. Kaza was clearly the top candidate after an extensive national search
that yielded a field of very qualified candidates. He begins his appointment July
5, 2022.

Dr. Kaza will be the inaugural leader in this important role for Academic Affairs
and the university. He will report directly to the Provost and serve as a member of
the Provost's Council. In his new leadership position, Dr. Kaza will advance the transformative
influence that research will play in the lives of students, inspiring the faculty
and students to engage in creating a productive research environment that will advance
President Schatzel’s vision of furthering TU’s impact as an anchor institution for
our region and state and achieving Carnegie-Classification R2: High Research institution.

I want to thank Provost Perreault for her leadership in establishing this role, which
was initiated and funded as a presidential priority aimed at achieving these goals
in support of TU’s strategic plan, “Leadership for the Public Good.” Dr. Kaza will
serve as a key leader for the aligned efforts and strategies required for TU to continue
its evolution toward these goals, through a clear research vision consistent with
TU's mission while leading and elevating the university's interdisciplinary research
activities across a diverse array of programs, ideas and people.

Dr. Kaza has served as the Chairperson of the Computer and Information Sciences department
in TU's Fisher College of Science and Mathematics since 2016. He oversaw a 25 percent
increase in students enrolled as CIS majors, two accreditations and a comprehensive
review while also creating new programs, including the first dual Computer Science
and Mathematics Secondary Education program in Maryland.

He is the Maryland E-Nnovation Endowed Professor of Cybersecurity and director of
TU's Cyber4All Center. He's received $12.8M in external funding for research at TU,
collaborating with approximately 30 colleagues at TU and supporting more than 60 undergraduate,
masters and doctoral students since 2008. A recent grant funded by the National Security
Agency includes the U.S. Naval Academy and more than a dozen institutions across the
U.S., with TU as the lead.

Dr. Kaza’s work has been published in top-tier journals and conferences like Decision
Support Systems, IEEE Transactions, ACM Transactions, Journal of the American Society
for Information Science and Technology and various international conferences.

Dr. Kaza earned a Ph.D. in Management Information Systems from the University of Arizona,
and a Master of Science in Computer Science from Central Michigan University and a
Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Delhi.

Last year, a search committee was convened with Dr. Lisa Plowfield, Dean of the College of Health Professions, serving as chair. We want to thank the
committee for their time and support to identify and recommend the final pool of talented
candidates.

The search committee included:

We also want to thank Chief Human Resource Officer and VP of Operations Steve Jones,
as well as Jennifer Stano, Nyasha Lumumba and the Office of Human Resources staff
for their tremendous support throughout the search.

We know you all will join us in congratulating Sidd on his new role within the Towson
University community and offering our support as he transitions into this important
leadership position.

Sincerely,

Kim Schatzel, Ph.D.

President

Melanie Perreault, Ph.D.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs

This press release was produced by Towson University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.