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Provost Donald Nieman announces that Aondover A. Tarhule, a professor of geography and executive associate dean in the College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, will become vice provost and dean of the graduate college on Aug. 10, 2017.

“I am humbled and excited by the opportunity to join �������� as vice provost and dean of the Graduate School,” said Tarhule. “Throughout the application and interview process, it was clear to me that the administrative leadership team at ��������, from the president, provost, deans and everyone I met, is truly top notch, visionary and committed to advancing graduate education and research at this great institution.

“It is indeed a privilege to join this team and to work on the goal of increasing graduate enrollment and strengthening the quality and reputation of ��������’s graduate programs,” he added. “My goal, ultimately, is to help position �������� among national leaders in the drive to prepare today’s graduate students for the careers, societal challenges and educational opportunities of the 21st century.

Impressed with Tarhule’s grasp of changes that are re-shaping graduate education, Nieman noted his commitment to collaboration and transdisciplinary research and teaching, strong communication skills, and ideas for expanding and strengthening graduate education at ��������.

“Aondover is an outstanding scholar who understands the landscape of graduate education, has a strong record of promoting collaboration across disciplinary boundaries, and will help us continue to strengthen graduate education and increase graduate enrollment — a top priority for the campus.”

Tarhule has the qualities necessary to make him a successful graduate dean and to build on Susan Strehle’s successful leadership during the past four years, according to President Harvey Stenger.

“Aondover has a record of collaboration and a compelling vision for graduate education that will make him a strong advocate for graduate education and enable him to provide the leadership that will help us reach our ambitious goals for graduate education,” Stenger said.

Tarhule grew up in Nigeria and earned a BS in geography (first class) and MS in environmental resources planning at the University of Jos before continuing to Canada, where he earned the MS and PhD in geography at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario. After completing his doctorate, Tarhule returned to the University of Jos as lecturer for one year and spent another year as a post-doctoral research fellow at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, and from there accepted a position as assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma. There he rose through the ranks to become a professor, successful department chair and executive associate dean.

A productive scholar, Tarhule is a physical geographer who studies hydroclimatic variability, with a special emphasis on Africa. He has published almost 40 papers in refereed journals, served as principal advisor for more than a dozen graduate students, sponsored and supervised several postdoctoral fellows, and secured funding for his research from the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Health, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute.

Tarhule is married to Roosmarijn Tarhule-Lips who is a CPA with a Master of Accountancy as well as a PhD in geography. The couple has two children, Sesugh Tarhule, a biochemistry sophomore at the University of Oklahoma who plans to transfer to ��������, and Doobee Tarhule, who plans to study entrepreneurship and global business at ��������.