College of Arts and Sciences Newsroom

By Dave Larsen

The University of Dayton College of Arts and Sciences appointed Carissa Krane, professor of biology, as associate dean for faculty affairs and research. Krane has served in this role on an interim basis since May 2022. Her four-year, renewable appointment starts July 1.

Krane joined the UD faculty in 2001, earned tenure in 2007 and was promoted to professor in 2015. As associate dean, she will support College faculty at all stages of their careers at UD.

“I am excited to have the opportunity to facilitate faculty hiring, onboarding and new faculty orientation, as well as promotions, sabbatical applications and faculty awards in the College,” Krane said. “In addition, I plan to continue to pursue streamlined processes, procedures and improved communication strategies to support faculty who are applying for and winning externally funded grants to support scholarship, research, teaching, community engagement and experiential learning.”

As interim associate dean, Krane was the College Dean’s Office point person for the College Tenure and Promotion Revisions Drafting Committee. She previously served as co-chair of the University’s Promotion and Tenure Policy Task Force and chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee of the Academic Senate. The work of those groups led to Academic Senate passage of the revised University Promotion and Tenure Policy in April 2021, and an affirmative faculty vote in fall 2021.

In her interim role, Krane also led the College’s efforts to develop and coordinate faculty mentoring at the institutional level. She works with UD Vice President for Research John Leland and others to improve efficiencies for faculty submitting grant and contract proposals. In addition, she represents the College Dean’s Office on the University Inclusive Excellence Council. During the fall 2022 semester, the College introduced the inclusion of diversity, equity and inclusion as a minimum or preferred requirement within the faculty search process.

Prior to accepting the appointment as interim associate dean, Krane served as the first Schuellein Endowed Chair for the Department of Biology. She also was president and vice president of the Academic Senate, and associate director for honors thesis research in the University Honors program. In 2022, she was recognized as a 2022 Woman of UD Honoree, under the theme “Adapting to Uncertainty.”

As an active researcher, Krane received external funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Lung Association, as well as industrial contracts. She was the 2014 recipient of the George B. Nolan Award for Research for the University of Dayton Chapter of Sigma Xi, the scientific research society. 

“Carissa is a dedicated faculty-mentor for students, having mentored more than 125 undergraduate research students, four master’s theses and four doctoral dissertations,” said Danielle Poe, College dean. “She was the recipient of the College’s 2008 Outstanding Teaching Award. Her commitment to being a teacher-scholar and mentoring students is a model that will benefit our new faculty members as they join the College.”

Krane holds a doctoral degree in biology and the biomedical sciences: molecular genetics from Washington University in St. Louis, and an honors Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry/molecular biology from Marquette University.

For more information, visit the College of Arts and Sciences website.