Professor and Academic Associate Dean Kristin Eschenfelder was appointed as interim dean of the University of Wisconsin College of Letters & Science by Provost John Zumbrunnen, according to an email sent to UW students Thursday.
The appointment will be effective May 17, when current Dean of UW L&S Eric Wilcots begins his term as interim chancellor, according to UW News.
Eschenfelder has been a part of the UW Information School faculty since 2000, serving as associate director of the School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences.
During her time as director, Eschenfelder helped to secure a $5 million endowment and establish systematic stewardship for annual giving and scholarship use, as well as directed department relocations into Morgridge Hall.
Eschenfelder’s vision includes ensuring students across fields of study can gain functional and critical literacies, integrating the human and ethical aspects of technology, computing and data into curriculum, according to UW News.
Eschenfelder has been an advocate for student support and creating flexible and interdisciplinary pathways for undergraduate students, according to UW News.
Her research also focuses on the intersection of technology, law and society, with an emphasis on information access, sharing and rights management.
