Beronda L. Montgomery has been appointed vice president for academic affairs and dean of Grinnell College in Iowa. Dr. Montgomery currently serves as a professor in the departments of biochemistry and molecular biology and microbiology and molecular genetics, as well as assistant vice president for research and innovation at Michigan State University. She will begin her new job on July 1.
“I am genuinely thrilled to join the incredible community of students, staff, and faculty at Grinnell College who exemplify collective academic excellence and reciprocal civic responsibility. The esteemed liberal arts education and expressed commitment of individuals to cultivating a community dedicated to a pursuit of equity and justice at Grinnell is inspiring,” said Dr. Montgomery. “I’m honored to have an opportunity to bring my experience and energy to the Grinnell College community and look forward to collaborating broadly with fellow Grinnell constituents.”
Her primary laboratory-based research is focused on the responses of photosynthetic organisms to external light cues. A nationally recognized researcher and author, she has written more than 100 peer-reviewed research articles, invited reviews, perspectives, and book chapters. She is the author of Lessons from Plants (Harvard University Press, 2021).
Dr. Montgomery joined the faculty at Michigan State in 2004 following a postdoctoral research fellowship at Indiana University. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Montgomery holds a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas and a Ph.D. in plant biology from the University of California, Davis.
