Alumni Profile Series: Andrew Comrie

Alumnus Named Associate Vice President for Research

February 6, 2006

Alumnus Andrew Comrie has recently been named Associate Vice President for Research, Dean of the Graduate College, and Director of Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs at the University of Arizona.

Andrew will be using his background and skills to continue to build the University of Arizona's research program. His new titles make him responsible for graduate education and the related research enterprises at the University. His responsibilities include planning the strategic growth of graduate enrollments, increasing graduate student funding from multiple sources, and building new graduate programs in cutting-edge areas.

In addition to these responsibilities, Andrew continues to be a professor, mentor, and researcher. He believes that working with students has been an important part of his professional experience. In fact, he says the most rewarding part of his career has been "Discovering, with students, new things about how the world works, seeing the 'research bug' bite them, and helping them launch their careers."

Looking back on his education, Andrew became interested in geography through classes in high school. He earned his B.S. in geography and atmospheric science and M.S. in environmental and geographical science at the University of Cape Town. Andrew then received his Ph.D. in Geography at Penn State, focusing on climate science and how the atmosphere affects ozone pollution and forest damage.

He says his Ph.D. work at Penn State has "absolutely" influenced his career, and pays a special tribute to his advisor, Brent Yarnal. Other faculty at Penn State also had a major impact on his professional development, such as Diana Liverman, Rob Crane, and Peter Gould. "During a Ph.D., one absorbs lessons from so many people including one's graduate student peers," he says.

Currently, Andrew is working on several new and upcoming research projects. "I am able to keep my research funding and my lab group going by working with a really smart group of grad students," he says. One of these projects is a climate assessment for the Southwest. This is a large project which connects decision-makers with climate research. Andrew is also working on climate-health research about the "climatic drivers of valley fever, a disease caused by a soil fungus in the desert Southwest." Other research includes a national climate mapping interactive Web tool.

When he is not working, Andrew enjoys spending time with his family and singing in choirs and a quartet. "Singing is a great way to use the other half of my brain and have fun - it's like a mental trip to the gym," he says. Last year, with three friends, he started a quartet called the Ringtones that sings barbershop, doo wop, and popular songs. Andrew says that "the close harmony and direct audience feedback is a real thrill!"

For more information about Andrew, please access www.geog.arizona.edu/~comrie.