Associate deans John O’Brien and Kemal Oflazer stepping down after years of service 

Michael Trick, the dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a Qatar Foundation partner university, announced the appointment of two new senior associate deans, effective July 1, 2021. 

Selma Limam Mansar, who is currently the senior associate dean for education and area head of information systems, will step into the new role of senior associate dean for faculty and research. Limam Mansar is a teaching professor of information systems and joined CMU-Q in 2007.

Dudley Reynolds has been appointed as the new senior associate dean for education. Reynolds, who is a teaching professor of English, is currently serving as area co-head for arts and sciences. He joined CMU-Q in 2007.

Trick noted: “CMU-Q is a place where many faculty members choose to stay long term, to grow their careers and to guide and nurture the next generation of young professionals in Qatar. Professors Limam Mansar and Reynolds are accomplished scholars who are dedicated to teaching and university service, and their expertise will help guide the educational future of our campus.” 

Three long-term members of faculty leadership will be stepping down from their positions at the end of June. The current senior associate dean of faculty and outreach, John O’Brien, will retire at the end of the year. Kemal Oflazer will step down as associate dean for research, and continue as a teaching professor of computer science. Gordon Rule will step down as area head for biological sciences and continue as professor of biological sciences. 

Trick commended all three faculty members for their vision and service to the CMU community: “Professors O’Brien, Oflazer and Rule have been exceptional teachers and colleagues, helping transform CMU-Q from a new campus into the mature educational institution we are today. On behalf of everyone at CMU-Q, I thank all of them for their service.”

Silvia Pessoa will step into the role of area co-head of arts and sciences, Daniel Phelps will be the new area head for information systems, and Ihab Younis will serve as the new area head of biological sciences.

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar offers four undergraduate programs in biological sciences, business administration, computer science and information systems. There are more than 400 students at CMU-Q, and more than 1000 graduates, most of whom live and work in Qatar.