Dr. Govind Menon has been named interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Troy University.

Over his 28 years at TROY, Menon has served as Professor of Physics, Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics, Director of the School of Science and Technology, Director of the Center for Relativity and Cosmology and Director of the Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences.

“Govind Menon brings more than 20 years of experience to his role as Director of the School of Science and Technology and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Dr. Kerry Palmer, Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. “Dr. Menon is a scholar and a visionary. I am confident that his optimistic, can-do spirit will resonate with faculty and students alike as we work to grow our STEM footprint in Alabama and beyond.”

He moves into the role previously held by Dr. Steven Taylor, who held the position for eight years before retiring in July. 

With so many years of experience at the University, Menon said he is grateful for the opportunity to bring to life a few of his ideas: telling the story of the College of Arts and Sciences on a national scale, advancing the computer science program, increasing fundraising efforts in grant writing for research, workforce development and capital fundraising and bettering the existing programs to entice new students.

“I have institutional memory and institutional fondness, and I think that gives me a different perspective. These ideas have been cultivated over time,” he said. “Not everyone wants to go to a school that has 30,000 students, so if you’re going to a university that has 6,000 or 7,000 students, the level of academic rigor and education you get should not be any different. 

“We are moving on to an R2 space—there’s no looking back. I would like to make that transition a little easier.”