UW names new associate dean for Academic Affairs

Untitled DocumentMADISON, WI - 9/26/06 - Dr. Christopher Olsen has accepted the position of associatedean for Academic Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of VeterinaryMedicine, effective in late October.

“Susan Hyland will leave tremendously large footprints in the sands ofthe School of Veterinary Medicine,” he says, but he is looking forwardto continuing the legacy of service that she has implemented.

Dr. Olsen came to Wisconsin in 1992, right after he earned his PhD from CornellUniversity to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in virology with Dr. VirginiaHinshaw. In 1994, he joined the veterinary medical faculty, and has since taughtpublic health and virology to veterinary medical students while maintaining anactive, federally funded research program on public health aspects of influenzaA virus infections. His research is devoted to understanding the transmissionof influenza viruses between humans and swine as well as between birds and pigs.

He has also been instrumental in establishing the school's Pet Pals program,the DVM/Masters of Public Health dual degree program, and in making the schoola partner in the campuswide Center for Global Health.

“I have come to realize over my years as a faculty member that the timesI have enjoyed most were when I was mentoring students, so this feels like anatural progression,” Dr. Olsen says. “I am very excited to havethe opportunity to help move our school forward and to help advance veterinarymedical education at the national level.”