Physical Sciences Division Dean Appointment

To: Senior Administrators and PSD Community Members
From: Paul Alivisatos, President, and Katherine Baicker, Provost
Subject: Announcing the Dean of the PSD
Date: March 12, 2026

We are pleased to announce that Ka Yee C. Lee has been appointed dean of the Physical Sciences Division, following two years of dedicated and effective service as interim dean. A distinguished scholar, educator, and academic leader, Ka Yee brings an exceptional record of research achievement and institutional leadership to the role.

Report of the Committee on Computational and Data Sciences

On January 16, 2025, President Alivisatos and Provost Baicker convened the Committee on Computational and Data Sciences and charged its members to consider the formation of a new decanal unit—a division or school—focused on computational and data sciences, AI, and related disciplines at the University of Chicago. The committee’s conclusions are detailed in the Report of the Committee on Computational and Data Sciences, submitted to the President and Provost on October 9, 2025.

Information on Certificates and Credentials

In order to achieve consistent and reliable nomenclature across non-degree UChicago programs of study and to adhere to the accreditation standards and expectations of the Higher Learning Commission, the University of Chicago Certificate and Credential Proposal Form provides a set of questions that creators of programs are required to answer as they proceed with designing certificate programs and credential programs. Some clarifying definitions are provided below.

University of Chicago Certificate and Credential Programs

Programs known as “certificates” and “credentials” at the University of Chicago are non-degree educational programs with a distinct academic and/or professional concentration. These programs are typically smaller in scope than a major or minor program, and may be available to applicants from the broader public or exclusively to UChicago degree-seeking students.

Report of the Committee to Review the Laboratory Schools

On February 24, 2025, President Alivisatos convened the Laboratory Schools Review Committee and charged its members with undertaking a comprehensive assessment of the Laboratory School’s current practices, programs, and policies, as well as with proposing recommendations to guide the School’s continued excellence in the decades to come. The committee’s conclusions are detailed in the Report of the Committee to Review the Laboratory Schools, submitted to the President on November 19, 2025.

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