Radcliffe Institute dean Barbara J. Grosz, Higgins professor of natural sciences, announced today that she would step down from the post effective at the end of the academic year. After a year of leave, she will resume her academic post in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Grosz became acting dean in 2007, when Drew Faust became Harvard's president, and was appointed dean the following year. For the six previous years, she had served as the institute's dean of science.
In the University announcement, Faust said, “Barbara has a talent for nurturing intellectual communities—forging new interdisciplinary collaborations, bringing together scholars from Harvard’s Schools and around the world. Thanks to her wisdom and guidance, Radcliffe plays an important generative role in the intellectual life of the University.” The president announced that she would appoint an interim dean to serve effective July 1, and would form a search committee in the fall to identify a permanent successor.
Grosz's home page describes her research and teaching in computer sciences.