UT-Austin Names New School Of Information Dean

AUSTIN, TX — The University of Texas at Austin has named Eric T. Meyer the next dean of the School of Information, school officials said Tuesday.

Meyer's appointment will begin Aug.1, and he will hold the Louis T. Yule Regents Professorship in Library and Information Science and the Mary R. Boyvey Chair for Excellence, university officials added. Meyer is currently director of graduate studies at the Oxford Internet Institute and professor of social informatics at the University of Oxford.

“In an increasingly interconnected world, we need to understand the intersection of information, people and ever-evolving technologies. The School of Information is widely respected as one of the top information schools in the country, and I am thrilled to welcome Eric Meyer to lead as dean,” Maurie McInnis, executive vice president and provost, said in a prepared statement. “He is an innovative visionary who brings with him great experience from an exceptional institution, and his success is grounded in working closely with students, faculty and others in order to leverage their collective talents and strengths.”

As director of graduate studies at the Oxford Internet Institute, Meyer has led efforts to develop innovative master’s and doctoral degree programs, enhance recruitment efforts, work closely with faculty members and students to provide exceptional educational experiences, and grow a positive scholarly environment for research, teaching and learning, UT-Austin officials said.

Meyer earned his undergraduate degree from Ohio University, a master’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and his doctoral degree from Indiana University Bloomington. His research focuses on the connections between people and the technologies they use, and how people shape and are shaped by new digital technologies, officials explained, including how digital technologies allow people to change the things they research, the ways they learn, and how people share information and collaborate.

“I am thrilled and honored to be the next dean of the School of Information at UT Austin," Meyer said in a prepared statement. "I think that the school has established itself as a leader globally, and I look forward to building upon the school’s exceptional accomplishments. I’m eager to contribute to the continuing success of this talented community of scholars.”

Meyer will succeed Randolph Bias, who has served as interim dean since September 2017.

For more than 65 years, the School of Information has educated information professionals in areas spanning the full breadth of information science, most recently expanding its emphases to include interaction design, digital curation, information work and data management, university officials noted. The school attracts students from across the globe and offers a range of graduate degree programs, as well as undergraduate and interdisciplinary opportunities, they added.

>>> Photo of Eric T. Meyer courtesy of University of Texas at Austin