Graeme Harper was named Dean of The Honors College Feb. 13, according to an email sent to the student body by interim senior vice president and provost, Susan Awbrey.

“I am extremely honored to have been appointed the Dean of The Honors College here at Oakland University,” Harper said. “This has only come about because of the considerable contributions of those who came before me as esteemed Directors of The Honors College. It also owes a lot to the vision of our Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr Susan Awbrey, who recognized the importance of taking this key step to enhance our university’s future.”

Harper has served as Director of the Honors College since he began his career at OU in August 2011.

“Under Dr. Harper’s direction, The Honors College has launched several new initiatives including The Global Imaginarium, a virtual portal for the exploration of needs, ambitions, problems and solutions; the Honors College Inspiration Awards, which highlight the power of inspiration in teaching and learning; and the Making Discoveries colloquium, which focuses on the process of discovery in fields such as the arts, technology and medicine, as well as individual and team excellence,” according to the email from Awbrey.

Harper has earned doctorates from the University of East Anglia and the University of Technology, Sydney. During his career, Harper has served as research professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch, as well as, Director of research for the College of Arts and Humanities at Bangor University in Wales.

“Oakland owes its origins as a university to an ideal that in fact was borne out of an Honors College. Students, faculty and staff right across Oakland University represent ambition and commitment and energy that is also at the very heart of our Oakland Honors College. So in being appointed to this role I would like to celebrate all of our wonderful Oakland community.”

Harper has also written several books under the pen name Brooke Biaz.

The Oakland Post will continue to report on this as more information becomes available.