Linda Schadler

I am the Interim Provost at the University of Vermont. That means I am the Chief Academic Officer in charge of ensuring a high quality curriculum, advising process, and faculty. Until last year I was the Dean of the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, I am in charge of the college!  That means ensuring that we are delivering high quality academic programs, recruiting and retenting of students, providing excellent advising and career readiness skills, and constantly improving our pedagogy and courses.  I am responsible for the hiring and success of faculty focused on research and/or teaching and their professional development.  I am also responsible for the hiring and professional development of staff.   Fortunately, I have excellent Department Chairs and senior staff who work well as a team to achieve our goals.

Because I wanted to be in a field that created new things (so it never got boring) and helped solve some of the world's most pressing problems.

My B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering is from Cornell University My Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering is from the University of Pennsylvania

I am still a professor and I teach and mentor students. I love this part of my work. I conduct research in nanocomposites materials which are being used in everything from improved materials for efficient electrical transmission to materials that help improve the efficiency of light emitting diodes.  But - much of what I do is manage people and programs.  That requires lots of meetings and lots of writing and reporting.   I enjoy this when I get to see the results and see the whole college benefit from our hard work.  

Solving interesting technical problems and constantly learning new things about how things work (including materials).

I am proudest of a movie I helped produce called Molecules to the Max (www.molecularium.com) that helps everyone understand more about materials in a fun/animated format.

I am proudest of my students who have gone on to make contributions to the field of materials science and engineering.

I am proudest of how I have helped create an atmosphere at work that is encouraging and supportive of all.  
 

I failed my first qualifying exam for my Ph.D. It was then that I learned how in depth we need to understand things in order to make new contributions to engineering. I have met challenging personalities who hurt my feelings, but I have learned not to take things personally and to be true to the path that I feel is right.

I have a husband and two children. My son is an engineer and worked for Lockheed Martin before starting a Ph.D. program at the U. Minnesota.  My daughter just finished medical school and has started a residency in AL.  My husband retired a few years ago after a long career at General Electric. We love to ski and hike and travel. We have climbed the Grand Teton as a family and have traveled to Japan and South Africa. We have visited dozens of National Parks in the United States to hike, backpack, snorkel, and more. We We are looking forward to planning our next adventure.

To have made a positive impact on the students I have taught

To have contributed to the fundamental knowledge of materials science and engineering

To have mentored those that followed me in a way that has improved the workplace for all

My parents and my family overall.  And - the incredible satisfaction I get when I contribute to student learning and success.

Recognize that there are all kinds of engineers, and that many engineers go on to work in other fields, but the skills they learned in engineering are valuable wherever they go.

If you want to help solve the world's most challenging technical problems and help improve people's lives in a sustainable way, become an engineer!

I have completed a few triathlons including two 1/2 ironmans, but am more focused now on gardening, skiing, and hiking.   In Vermont we built a large garden and have fun making pasta sauce, salsa, pickled vegetables, soups, and more.