Claire Sterk, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Emory, was named Friday as the university's new president.
Sterk will become Emory's 20th president, following James Wagner, who is set to retire at the end of August after 13 years leading the school.
“Emory has earned its place among the world’s premier comprehensive research universities, and is well known for its undergraduate, graduate, and professional education; its leadership in research and scholarship across all disciplines; and an unsurpassed culture of innovation and collaboration,” Sterk said in a statement. “I look forward to engaging with all members of the Emory community to develop a shared vision for future success.”
Sterk, a native of the Netherlands, will be the first woman to serve as Emory’s president. She began her tenure at Emory in 1995 as a faculty member in the school of public health. She also chaired the behavioral sciences and health education department and was associate dean for research and senior vice provost for academic affairs.
During her professional career, Sterk has become a leading international expert in public health and anthropology. With her husband and research partner, Kirk Elifson — who is also a faculty member in Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health — she has attracted more than $33 million in research funding to Emory.
Sterk begins her tenure as president September 1.
Visit myAJC.com to learn more about Sterk's priorities for Emory.
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