Christophe Pierre, a distinguished academic, researcher, professor, and administrator, has recently been welcomed into the VIP cohort as the successor of Dr. George Korfiatis, previous Stevens Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. He joins the President, General Counsel, and several other important figureheads on the thirteenth floor of the Howe Center, a floor less traveled by students than by individuals critical to the maintenance and progress of Stevens.
Dr. Nariman Farvardin, the President of Stevens, introduced Dr. Pierre in a campus-wide email back in June after the Provost Search Committee had made its final recommendation. In his email, President Farvardin stated that given Dr. Pierre’s “exemplary record of achievement as a teacher, a scholar, [and] an academic administrator” he was “very much looking forward to working with [him].”
“I can say the Prof. Pierre was chosen from a very large and competitive slate of candidates where his application package clearly rose to the top,” said Professor Matthew Libera, Chair of the Provost Search Committee. “In addition to his many scholarly achievements, Prof. Pierre has a philosophy of academic excellence very consistent with Stevens past and future […] and we look forward to working with him to make the Institute an even better place than it is already.”
It is true: Dr. Pierre has an extremely impressive academic track record, including his breakthrough accomplishments as a researcher of vibrations, structural dynamics and nonlinear dynamics; his efforts as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at McGill University in Montreal; his acceptance of the N.O Myklestad Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for his contributions in vibration localization; and his leadership as chief academic officer at the University of Illinois where he helped guide and push for progress in educational policy and programs. Dr. Pierre’s curriculum vitae, rumored to be just shy of 53 pages, is nothing short of impressive.
Does a man such as he do anything other than school?
The answer is…kind of. Pierre, who lives near Stevens with his wife, has one son who has just finished his Ph.D at UC Berkley and will be living near Silicon Valley, whereas his daughter lives in Basel, Switzerland. “For me, [my family] is top priority, so a lot of my so-called ‘free-time’ goes towards that.” He ensures to stay in contact with his children by telephone or even Skype, despite being split by 10 different time zones. “It is complication, but it is good complication,” said Pierre. Much of his joie de vivre has been found in his work as an academic professional, which he notes as a limiting factor in the pursuit of other hobbies. When he does have a spare moment, he pursues things such as woodworking and tiling. “It takes me a long time, but there is a sense of satisfaction [while] going through a process to build something with a purpose.”
His unwavering dedication to making an impact might have impeded opportunities to pursue simple past-times, but it did nothing but make him a very attractive candidate for Stevens in particular. Given his record, it would not be presumptuous to argue that Dr. Pierre could have attained this position at another engineering school. However, Dr. Pierre notes his decision to come to Hoboken (although more risky as compared to large, public universities with guaranteed funding from the state) would entail new opportunities that he could not pass by. “One could argue [me coming to Stevens] is shortcoming since there are fewer resources,” said Pierre. “However, being in an environment where there is opportunity for me to make an impact with a nimble and flexible university in charge of its own destiny really resonated with me.”
Although he has held his title as Provost and Vice President for just shy of one month, Dr. Pierre has already noticed the differences between Stevens students and others at his former institutions. One of his former institutions, the University of Illinois, is a large, public university, with a student population exceeding 40,000 students and a much broader scope of disciplines. “[Stevens] is a small institution, so it cannot be as comprehensive,” said Dr. Pierre. However, he recognizes the focus on technology that permeates institution-wide. “The student body is definitely technology-oriented, and that is a significant difference that I find here.” Despite having only arrived to campus on August 22, Dr. Pierre already senses the “energy, excitement and commitment students have towards the university,” which have presented in his former institutions in smaller “pockets,” rather than campus-wide. “People here are very approachable and welcoming, students as well as faculty and staff.”
Stevens students are, among many things, goal-oriented. The classes a student will take here impel students to focus on academics to reach personal, economic, and professional goals. Even as an individual who has made an entire career out of goal-setting and initiative-based planning, Dr. Pierre hopes to continue his commitment to student-centricity as the newest Provost. “In addition to curriculum, students need to have ample opportunities to make decisions. Do they want to go to graduate school? Do they want to work in industry or for a NGO? This area of options needs to continue to be available and faculty need to be available to mentoring students. To me, this is a priority.”
It is Dr. Pierre’s passion to augment the student opportunity that Stevens leaders hope to harness as the institution continues to rise in the ranks with regard to return on investment, salary potential, and career placement. However, Dr. Pierre states it simply: “This is our edge [and] there is always more to be done.”
Dr. Pierre’s arrival, in conjunction with the many strategic initiatives already in place, marks a high point in Stevens’ history. His goals for the university with respect to academics might take some deep thought and consideration. However, as a man who is so skilled in the area of vibrations, it is no doubt that he will soon learn Stevens unique campus “vibe” as he begins an auspicious career at the university.
Be First to Comment