Linda E. Jones is the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western New England University and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. Prior to joining Western New England, she was the head of the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, which is both an engineering school and a school of art and design. Prior to Alfred University, Linda was a Chaired Professor and the Director of the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College, which is the nation’s first accredited all women’s engineering program.
Her research focus is on the structure-properties relationships of novel forms of carbons and carbides used in energy applications. Additionally, she continues to study high temperature decomposition behavior of materials including glass. She has 82 publications in these areas and has given over 150 national and international presentations. She is actively involved in the US, European and Asian Carbon Societies. She is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society. She has received 7 Teaching Awards over her career that include the American Ceramic Society’s Teaching Excellence Award.
The life of a Provost has been rich because of her interest in innovative and effective pedagogy particularly as it influences the engagement of women and underrepresented individuals in the study of STEM disciplines.
