On the occasion of his 60th birthday, Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg yesterday announced that he plans to step down from his position at the end of June.
In an e-mail to the Tufts community announcing his decision, Sternberg detailed his plans to devote more time to his involvement in professional associations and to his research in psychology, but remained noncommittal about plans to continue teaching in the future.
"I have greatly enjoyed being dean but it was time for me to move on in my life, whether to another administrative position or to full-time teaching and research," Sternberg told the Daily in an e-mail. Sternberg's five-year term as dean of arts and sciences ends on June 30.
In addition to continuing his research, Sternberg plans to revise the newest edition of a cognitive psychology textbook he authored and is starting a new book project, in addition to his six books currently in the process of publication.
He also announced that he and his wife, Karin, with whom he has co-authored several psychology works, are expecting a child.
University President Lawrence Bacow praised Sternberg's tenure at the university. "Under his watch we have made important strides in admissions, financial aid, teaching and the curriculum while also strengthening support for faculty scholarship," Bacow said in an e-mail to the Daily. "Tufts is a better place because of his leadership."
Sternberg is one of the most prominent names in the field of psychology. He has gained renown for his research in the areas of human intelligence and thought and developed the triarchic theories of intelligence and love, which describe the underlying elements of these cognitive capacities.
He is in his third year as president of the International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology and is about to begin his term as president of the Federation of Associations of Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
At Tufts, Sternberg is the director of the Psychology of Abilities, Competencies, and Expertise (PACE) Center, while also a professor of psychology and an adjunct professor of education in addition to his role as dean.
Assistant Professor of Psychology Ayanna Thomas, who came to Tufts in 2007, praised Sternberg's work as an influence on her own career.
"As a cognitive psychologist, I have been influenced by Bob Sternberg's work since the beginning of my career. His contribution to Tufts and the field is incalculable," Thomas said. "It's been a pleasure to work with him."
One of Sternberg's "signature contributions" to the school during his time as dean was instituting a minor in leadership studies, according to University Provost and Senior Vice President Jamshed Bharucha.
Bharucha sent his own e-mail to the university shortly after Sternberg made his announcement, thanking the dean for his contributions to Tufts in both his capacities as an administrator and as a faculty member.
"The best part of being dean has been working and interacting with the people — the students, faculty, and staff," Sternberg said. "That is what I will miss most."
Sternberg remains unsure about where his time after the deanship will take him, but he told the Daily that if he returns to teaching, he plans to do so on the Hill.
"I have no plans to teach elsewhere — the students at Tufts are terrific and I could not ask for more," he said.
Bharucha plans to establish in January a search committee to determine Sternberg's replacement. The national search will culminate in the naming of the new dean of arts and sciences "late in the spring semester," with a planned start date of July 1 for the successor's term, according to Bharucha.
Bharucha added that the university's flexible hiring freeze, adopted amid budget cuts during the economic downturn last fall, will not impact the selection of Sternberg's successor.
"It's a critical position, and we will fill it with the best possible candidate," Bharucha said.
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Harrison Jacobs contributed reporting to this article.
