Dr. Dele Davies named interim chancellor for University of Nebraska Medical Center

Dr. H. Dele Davies, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean for graduate studies at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is the next interim UNMC chancellor. (Courtesy of the University of Nebraska)

LINCOLN — Dr. H. Dele Davies will serve as interim chancellor for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, following the appointment of University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold.

Gold, who had held the role since 2014, selected Davies as his successor as one of his first acts as he assumed the president’s office Monday. Davies joined UNMC in 2012 and had been the campus’ senior vice chancellor for academic affairs and dean of graduate studies.

“UNMC is on a remarkable trajectory, thanks to the collective efforts of so many individuals on the campus and beyond whose work is transforming the health and quality of life for people in Nebraska and around the world,” Gold said in a statement.

“It was important to me to find the right person who can keep our momentum going as we formulate plans for permanent leadership,” Gold continued. “Dr. Dele Davies is that leader.”

Davies is an internationally recognized expert in pediatric infectious diseases and a leader in community health, according to an NU news release.

He has been a key player in launching UNMC’s Interprofessional Experiential Center for Enduring Learning, iEXCEL , which uses high-fidelity simulation technology and experiential learning to improve human performance and effectiveness in health care.

Davies also helped launch the Global Center for Health Security at UNMC and joined Gold in expanding rural health initiatives.

Davies previously served as chair of pediatrics and human development at Michigan State University, between 2003 and 2012. He was director of the Child Health Research Unit at Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, Canada, and the Child Health Research Institute at the University of Calgary, between 1993 and 2003.

With Gold’s elevation to president and the retirement of longtime University of Nebraska at Kearney Chancellor Doug Kristensen on May 31, NU will soon find permanent successors for two of its top campus roles.

The process is underway to find the next UNK chancellor, with Charlie Bicak serving as interim UNK chancellor. The formal search for UNMC’s permanent chancellor hasn’t yet been announced.

University of Nebraska at Omaha Chancellor Joanne Li becomes NU’s senior-most chancellor after joining the system in 2021. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett was appointed in 2023.

Before becoming president, Gold also served as NU’s executive vice president and provost , the system’s chief academic officer. On Monday, Gold appointed David Jackson, NU’s vice provost since 2016, to fill that role on an interim basis. Jackson is a 30-year veteran of the university and served UNL in various roles before joining the provost’s office, including associate dean of the Agricultural Research Division and a faculty member in food science and technology.

Davies said he will move quickly to determine interim leads for UNMC’s academic affairs and graduate studies roles.

“I look forward to building on the special 10-year legacy of Chancellor Gold’s leadership in advancing our mission to provide premier educational programs, world-class research and extraordinary health care for Nebraska citizens and beyond,” Davies said.

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