Northwestern University’s Office of the Provost has named Regan Thomson an Academic Leadership Program (ALP) Fellow for the 2022-23 academic year. Thomson is a Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. Following postdoctoral studies at Harvard University, he joined the faculty at Northwestern in 2006.
ALP is an intensive year-long program that develops the leadership and managerial skills of faculty who have demonstrated exceptional ability and academic promise. Nominated by deans and selected by the Provost Kathleen Hagerty upon nomination from the deans, ALP Fellows attend in-person conferences at alternating Big Ten institutions and participate in on-campus activities at their home institution.
Thomson’s research interests are in the general field of organic chemistry, where he specializes in the invention of new chemical reactions, the total synthesis of complex biologically active natural products, and biogenic atmospheric chemistry. His work has been recognized with several awards, including an NSF CAREER Award, an Amgen Young Investigator Award, an Illinois Division American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award, and the Novartis Lectureship.
In 2020, Thomson was named a Charles Deering Professor of Teaching Excellence in recognition of his outstanding contributions teaching sophomore organic chemistry, and in 2021 he was awarded the Provost Award for Exemplary Faculty Service.
Additional named fellows this year include Stephanie Edgerly from the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications; Sarah B. Lawsky from the Pritzker School of Law; Mike Mazzeo from the Kellogg School of Management; and Sandra M Sanguino from the Feinberg School of Medicine.
“Participating in the ALP completely changed my perspective about how institutions of higher education work, their relationship to each other, and their connections with the public and the government,” said Associate Provost for Faculty Sumit Dhar, who served as an ALP Fellow during the 2013-14 academic year. “Perhaps the greatest benefit of participation in the ALP is the deep and lasting connections Northwestern’s fellows establish with one another through important growth stages of their careers.”