John Dennis O'Connor (born 1942) is an American biologist and was the sixteenth

chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

(1991–1995) of the University of Pittsburgh.

Career

In addition to the University of Pittsburgh, O'Connor has held executive positions at UCLA, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Smithsonian Institution, and the University of Maryland, College Park. A

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual cell, a multicellular organism, or a community of interacting populations. They usually specialize in ...

, O'Connor was on the faculty at UCLA, serving as dean of the life sciences for six years and chair of the Department of Biology for two years. At the University of North Carolina, he was vice chancellor of research and graduate studies and dean of the graduate school before being appointed vice chancellor of academic affairs, and provost in 1988. He became chancellor at Pitt in 1991, following the retirement of Wesley Posvar. However, he resigned in 1995, after a series of disputes with the board of trustees. O'Connor joined the Smithsonian Institution in December 1995 as the Institution's first provost. He was responsible for planning, integration and oversight of research, exhibitions, and education for the 16 museums and galleries and 6 research centers. In 2002 the University of Maryland, College Park named him vice president for research and dean of the graduate school. He resigned this post effective July 1, 2004, and assumed the position of professor in the Department of Biology. According to the ''Diamondback'', the University of Maryland newspaper, O'Connor was deemed responsible for overallocating graduate student fellowships, an error creating a domino effect that has left the graduate school in a multimillion-dollar deficit.

Education

The Chicago native holds a bachelor's degree from

Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...

, a master's from DePaul University, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Family

He is married to Anne O'Connor, a specialist in oncology nursing. They have three children.

References

Living people 21st-century American biologists Chancellors of the University of Pittsburgh Loyola University Chicago alumni DePaul University alumni Northwestern University alumni Scientists from Chicago University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill faculty University of California, Los Angeles faculty University of Maryland, College Park faculty 1942 births {{US-academic-administrator-1940s-stub