Kimberly Castillo is the Associate Director of Programming in the Office of the Provost at the University of Chicago. She supports the development and execution of programs and strategic initiatives that advance the University’s priorities in diversity, inclusion, and rigorous inquiry. In this role, she partners with colleagues across the institution to drive cross-campus initiatives and support key priorities within the assistant provost and vice provost’s portfolio.
In December 2024, Provost Baicker convened the Committee on Teaching Principles and Policies and charged its members with recommending how to align teaching efforts of faculty and other academics with the University’s education and research missions and demand for instruction, making the most of available resources to deliver an exceptional education for students. The committee’s conclusions are detailed in the Report of the Committee on Teaching Principles and Policies, submitted to the Provost in May 2026.
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.
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.
As associate director of provost communications reporting to the chief of staff, Ashley leads communications for Provost Baicker and the Office of the Provost.
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.
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.
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.