Northwestern University in Qatar has announced the appointment of three new academic leaders. Maria Lombard has been named assistant dean for academic affairs, Venus Jin has been appointed director of the Communication Program, and Gregory Ferrell Lowe has been named director of the school’s Executive Education Program.
In making the announcement, Northwestern Qatar Dean and CEO Marwan M. Kraidy said that the appointments will reinforce and enhance Northwestern Qatar’s academic programs. “Maria, Venus, and Greg are all academic leaders who are committed to scholarly and academic excellence,” said Kraidy. “I am confident their expertise and leadership will help take our academic programs to new heights.”
As assistant dean, Lombard will streamline and manage academic and faculty affairs initiatives, including the faculty review and promotion process, faculty searches and hiring, academic integrity, curriculum review and planning, and key academic events. She will also work with leaders in Student Experience and Academic Advising units on student academic success initiatives.
Prior to her appointment, Lombard was a member of the faculty at Northwestern Qatar. Her experience positioned her to bridge the communities of students, staff, and faculty together, all while centering academic excellence. “We aim to provide an equitable and consistent student academic experience and maintain high-standards for student work and academic integrity,” said Lombard. “We will move the Academic Affairs division forward with a commitment to academic excellence.”
In making the announcement, Northwestern Qatar Dean and CEO Marwan M. Kraidy said that the appointments will reinforce and enhance Northwestern Qatar’s academic programs. “Maria, Venus, and Greg are all academic leaders who are committed to scholarly and academic excellence,” said Kraidy. “I am confident their expertise and leadership will help take our academic programs to new heights.”
As assistant dean, Lombard will streamline and manage academic and faculty affairs initiatives, including the faculty review and promotion process, faculty searches and hiring, academic integrity, curriculum review and planning, and key academic events. She will also work with leaders in Student Experience and Academic Advising units on student academic success initiatives.
Prior to her appointment, Lombard was a member of the faculty at Northwestern Qatar. Her experience positioned her to bridge the communities of students, staff, and faculty together, all while centering academic excellence. “We aim to provide an equitable and consistent student academic experience and maintain high-standards for student work and academic integrity,” said Lombard. “We will move the Academic Affairs division forward with a commitment to academic excellence.”
“Maria, Venus, and Greg are all academic leaders who are committed to scholarly and academic excellence. I am confident their expertise and leadership will help take our academic programs to new heights”
- Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar
Jin said that as the director of the Communication Program, she plans to develop it into a regional and global leader in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education and research in the fields of communication and digital media. “We will educate future media professionals using an integrated and multidisciplinary approach that reflects today's converged digital media environments,” she said. “We will add news courses on virtual reality, Metaverse, human-computer-interaction, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to our curriculum to respond to the convergence of digital media and computational communication.”
Jin also plans to work with faculty in the program to promote teaching innovation, research excellence, and knowledge translation. “We have world-class documentary filmmakers, screenwriters, social scientists, 3D animation and digital media designers, media producers, media historians, and data scientists,” noted Jin. “We will further foster Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research collaboration among faculty members.”
Lowe plans to develop executive education classes that will help equip professionals in the media and communication field with the management skills needed to excel in an ever-changing media scene. “Everywhere in the world today, media organizations are in a period of disruption that has been caused by the digital turn,” said Lowe. “In that context, the need for excellence in management is the highest it has ever been.”
From courses in media management and economics to competencies development and practice management programs, Lowe said the Executive Education Program will focus on “developing skills, competencies, and knowledge that are needed for media professionals in Qatar to be able to handle the business as well as the social and public service aspects of media in its various roles in Qatari society.”
Lombard, Jin, and Lowe will report to Chief Academic Officer and Senior Associate Dean Kathleen Hewett-Smith. Highlighting how the new academic leadership will contribute to the school’s academic vision, Hewett-Smith said that “working together, Venus, Maria, and Greg will assist Dean Kraidy and me in our efforts to reinforce Northwestern Qatar’s position as a regional and global leader in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education and research in the fields of communication and digital media.”
Jin also plans to work with faculty in the program to promote teaching innovation, research excellence, and knowledge translation. “We have world-class documentary filmmakers, screenwriters, social scientists, 3D animation and digital media designers, media producers, media historians, and data scientists,” noted Jin. “We will further foster Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research collaboration among faculty members.”
Lowe plans to develop executive education classes that will help equip professionals in the media and communication field with the management skills needed to excel in an ever-changing media scene. “Everywhere in the world today, media organizations are in a period of disruption that has been caused by the digital turn,” said Lowe. “In that context, the need for excellence in management is the highest it has ever been.”
From courses in media management and economics to competencies development and practice management programs, Lowe said the Executive Education Program will focus on “developing skills, competencies, and knowledge that are needed for media professionals in Qatar to be able to handle the business as well as the social and public service aspects of media in its various roles in Qatari society.”
Lombard, Jin, and Lowe will report to Chief Academic Officer and Senior Associate Dean Kathleen Hewett-Smith. Highlighting how the new academic leadership will contribute to the school’s academic vision, Hewett-Smith said that “working together, Venus, Maria, and Greg will assist Dean Kraidy and me in our efforts to reinforce Northwestern Qatar’s position as a regional and global leader in interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education and research in the fields of communication and digital media.”
