John B. Simpson
Encyclopedia
John Barclay Simpson is a former president of the University at Buffalo, part of the State University of New York
system. He assumed this position on January 1, 2004, after leaving his position as executive vice chancellor and provost
of the University of California, Santa Cruz
. On August 30, 2010, Dr. Simpson announced his retirement from the post of UB President effective January 15, 2011.
A research scientist specializing in neuroendocrinology
, physiology
, and behavior, he is appointed to the faculty of UB's Department of Physiology and Biophysics
. He has guided the campus through significant curricular developments, overseeing the creation of new graduate programs in digital arts and new media
, bioinformatics
, electrical engineering
, and politics.
A native of California, Dr. Simpson is the father of two children, and also has two grandchildren.
in 1972 and 1973, respectively. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara
.
He spent two years at the University of Pennsylvania
as a research associate of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in the Department of Biology. He has been a visiting professor of physiology at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, and at the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine
at the University of Melbourne
in Australia
where he raised and bred kangaroos.
Dr. Simpson's research is in neuroendocrinology, the study of brain and hormone interaction. He received research support for his laboratory from the National Institutes of Health
, and has published widely on the subjects of brain controls of body fluid and cardiovascular regulation, the renin-angiotensin system
, and the brain's circumventricular organs
.
For 23 years, he was on the faculty of the University of Washington
in Seattle, serving as director of the university's joint physiology-psychology program for 4 years (1984–1988) and as head of the physiological psychology
area (1986–1990) before his appointment as associate dean for computing, facilities and research in the UW College of Arts and Sciences (1991–1994), when he was appointed dean
of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1998, he assumed the post of executive vice chancellor at UC Santa Cruz and served for 5 years.
On August 30, 2010, he notified the University at Buffalo Council that he would retire effective on January 15, 2011. He stated that he was going to return to his "West Coast home". On January 5, 2011 Simpson announced that he would remain on as President until a successor was announced. John B. Simpson is succeeded by Satish K Tripathi
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
system. He assumed this position on January 1, 2004, after leaving his position as executive vice chancellor and provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
. On August 30, 2010, Dr. Simpson announced his retirement from the post of UB President effective January 15, 2011.
A research scientist specializing in neuroendocrinology
Neuroendocrinology
Neuroendocrinology is the study of the extensive interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system, including the biological features of the cells that participate, and how they functionally communicate...
, physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
, and behavior, he is appointed to the faculty of UB's Department of Physiology and Biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
. He has guided the campus through significant curricular developments, overseeing the creation of new graduate programs in digital arts and new media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
, bioinformatics
Bioinformatics
Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
, electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
, and politics.
A native of California, Dr. Simpson is the father of two children, and also has two grandchildren.
Background
He received his master's and doctoral degrees in neurobiology and behavior from Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1972 and 1973, respectively. He received his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
.
He spent two years at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
as a research associate of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in the Department of Biology. He has been a visiting professor of physiology at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, and at the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine
Howard Florey Institute
The Howard Florey Institute, previously known as the Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiologyand applied research into treatments to combat brain and mind disorders and the cardiovascular system...
at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he raised and bred kangaroos.
Dr. Simpson's research is in neuroendocrinology, the study of brain and hormone interaction. He received research support for his laboratory from the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
, and has published widely on the subjects of brain controls of body fluid and cardiovascular regulation, the renin-angiotensin system
Renin-angiotensin system
The renin-angiotensin system or the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is a hormone system that regulates blood pressure and water balance....
, and the brain's circumventricular organs
Circumventricular organs
Circumventricular organs are so named because they are positioned at distinct sites around the margin of the ventricular system of the brain.They are among the few sites in the brain which have an incomplete blood–brain barrier...
.
For 23 years, he was on the faculty of the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
in Seattle, serving as director of the university's joint physiology-psychology program for 4 years (1984–1988) and as head of the physiological psychology
Physiological psychology
Physiological psychology is a subdivision of behavioral neuroscience that studies the neural mechanisms of perception and behavior through direct manipulation of the brains of nonhuman animal subjects in controlled experiments...
area (1986–1990) before his appointment as associate dean for computing, facilities and research in the UW College of Arts and Sciences (1991–1994), when he was appointed dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 1998, he assumed the post of executive vice chancellor at UC Santa Cruz and served for 5 years.
On August 30, 2010, he notified the University at Buffalo Council that he would retire effective on January 15, 2011. He stated that he was going to return to his "West Coast home". On January 5, 2011 Simpson announced that he would remain on as President until a successor was announced. John B. Simpson is succeeded by Satish K Tripathi
Current memberships
- Board of Directors of the SUNY Research Foundation
- Buffalo Niagara Partnership Board of Directors
- Buffalo Niagara Enterprise
- American Association for the Advancement of ScienceAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceThe American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, - Society for NeuroscienceSociety for NeuroscienceThe Society for Neuroscience is a professional society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., for basic scientists and physicians around the world whose research is focused on the study of the brain and nervous system.-History:...
- Society for the Study of Ingestive BehaviorSociety for the Study of Ingestive BehaviorThe Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior is an organization committed to advancing scientific research on food and fluid intake and its associated biological, psychological and social processes...
- Board of directors of the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, the governing body of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
- Pilchuck Glass SchoolPilchuck Glass SchoolFounded in 1971 by Dale Chihuly, Anne Gould Hauberg and John H. Hauberg , Pilchuck Glass School is an international center for glass art education. The name "Pilchuck" comes from the local Native American language and translates to "red river"...
, trustee - Council on CompetitivenessCompetitivenessCompetitiveness is a comparative concept of the ability and performance of a firm, sub-sector or country to sell and supply goods and/or services in a given market...
Former memberships
- Board member of Seattle's Intiman Theater Company and the Henry Art GalleryHenry Art GalleryThe Henry Art Gallery is the art museum of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, USA. Located on the west edge of the university's campus along 15th Avenue N.E. in the University District, it was founded in 1927 and was the first public art museum in the state of Washington. The...