University of Tulsa Provost Jennifer Airey is pleased to announce that Professor Scott Holmstrom has been named dean of the Graduate School. He will begin his new position July 1.
Holmstrom has been a member of UTulsa’s faculty for 25 years and brings to the role a wealth of leadership experience, including service as associate vice president for research, president of Faculty Senate, chair of the Department of Physics & Engineering Physics and director of graduate studies in his department. He specializes in the study of light-matter interactions and has taught nearly two dozen courses across the physics curriculum.
Holmstrom received his doctorate in physical sciences from Australian National University, master’s degree from Oklahoma State University and bachelor’s degree from Southwest Missouri State University. He succeeds Airey, who was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs earlier this month.
Caitlin Getchell Lawson (J.D. ’20) has been named assistant dean of the Graduate School after serving as the director of graduate academic policy and student success since 2022. Lawson began working for the university in 2016 at Gilcrease Museum and has since served in a variety of roles in the Graduate School.
Airey also announced the appointment of Jill Krefft as the new R.M. and Ida McFarlin Dean of the Library. Krefft is an experienced academic librarian who has served as the associate dean of McFarlin since 2023 and has contributed greatly to the modernization of the library and digital collections initiatives.
Krefft holds a master’s degree in library and information science from Saint John’s University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Auckland. She succeeds Bob Pickering, professor emeritus of anthropology, who is retiring after serving three years as dean.