Capuano named university provost

Vernon — Dr. Christopher A. Capuano, a distinguished scholar with diverse and extensive experience in higher education and more than 20 years of service at Fairleigh Dickinson University, has been named university provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Capuano will begin his new post on July 1. “Dr. Capuano is a highly regarded colleague and leader in our academic community, bringing to this position a distinguished record of academic achievement, a deep understanding of the many facets of university life and a superb reputation as an educator, academic administrator and leader for all that enhances student learning and advances the University’s academic mission,” said FDU President J. Michael Adams. Capuano has made extensive contributions to the university as both a faculty member and academic administrator. Since 2005, Capuano has served as vice provost for international affairs, overseeing the Office for Global Partnerships and various international initiatives. Most notably, he was instrumental in the planning and development of the University’s new campus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, which is now home to nearly 200 students from more than 30 countries. Capuano was involved in everything from accreditation issues and curriculum development to budget planning and staff hiring, even serving for an interim period as campus provost. Previously, Capuano was a full-time faculty member and served nearly 15 years as director of the School of Psychology on the Metropolitan campus. During his tenure, the school enjoyed significant growth in enrollment, revenue and recognition. The school also added many new programs including several undergraduate tracks and specializations, several graduate programs (including a second doctoral program) and a post-doctoral program that has gained national acclaim. As a faculty member, Capuano has developed and taught many courses on the undergraduate and graduate levels, including doctoral level courses. He also has supervised undergraduate and graduate student research and served on numerous doctoral dissertation committees. Dr. Capuano holds a Ph.D. in biopsychology from the City University of New York (CUNY) with specializations and research interests in behavioral neuroscience, neurospsychopharmacology and health psychology. He has presented his research findings nationwide and published articles in refereed journals such as Developmental Brain Research, Neuropharmacology, Annals of Behavioral Medicine and Obesity Research. In addition, he is a research fellow of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity.