30 May 2014

Leaving Durham University

Posted by Dave Petley

Durham University

Durham UniversityI’ve been at Durham University for almost 14 years, having joined initially as a lecturer in September 2000.  It has been a wonderful place to work, full of extraordinarily talented colleagues and students and set in a beautiful medieval city.  My career has progressed in ways that I would never have believed possible – I was made a Reader at Durham University in 2004 and then promoted to an endowed Chair in 2006.  Later that same year I became Deputy Head of Faculty (Research) in Social Sciences and Health.  In 2011 I took over as Executive Director of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience, and then in 2012 was made Dean of Research.  Finally in 2013 I was appointed to Dean of Research and Global Engagement.

So, it is with great sadness that I am today announcing that I’ll be leaving Durham University in mid-September.

The University of East Anglia

14_05 UEA 1I’m very excited to reveal that I’ll be moving the University of East Anglia, which is located in Norwich, to the north of London.  I’ll be taking up the role of Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), which leads on the strategic development of research and enterprise activities across the institution.  I think in US terms this is similar to, but not quite the same as, a Vice-President role.  I’ll also be taking up a Chair in Environmental Sciences  This is a wonderful opportunity – UEA is a fabulous university with excellent staff and students.

The University has a press release about my appointment here.

I will be maintaining my research on landslides at UEA, and am looking forward to collaborating with colleagues there.  I’ll also be continuing to work with my friends, colleagues and students at Durham and beyond.

And of course I can also assure you that I’ll be continuing to write this blog when I move.