Associate Professor of Computer Science Ameet Soni has been named Swarthmore College's next associate dean of the faculty for diversity, recruitment, and retention. 

Currently chair of the Department of Computer Science, Soni has served on the Faculty Committee on Diversity and Excellence and the Ad-Hoc Child Care Committee, as well as on nearly 20 search committees. A regular contributor to student diversity and inclusion efforts, he has also served as a Richard Rubin Scholar Mentor and a mentor to untenured faculty.

Soni has also proven to be a collaborative colleague with a demonstrated appreciation for others’ ideas and perspectives, both in and out of the classroom. One example is the 2019 Digital Humanities Curriculum Grant that he and Associate Professor of Philosophy Krista Thomason received to co-teach the first-year seminar Ethics and Technology.

“In his decade at the College, Ameet has demonstrated through experience and service that he is well-suited to take on the responsibilities of this position,” says Provost and Professor of Sociology Sarah Willie-LeBreton. “I welcome his enthusiasm for our students’ success through his commitment to professional-development opportunities on campus and off for faculty and instructional staff. His willingness to be candid, collaborative, and creative will help us continue to innovate, improve, and live up to our ideals."

“One of my priorities as associate dean of the faculty is to bolster our mentoring programs for new faculty and to bring to the forefront challenges that face young faculty — particularly those from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds — such as student debt, income insecurity, and limited access to child care," says Soni.

“I also look forward to working with departments to identify ways to improve our recruiting efforts to be more inclusive; this includes reassessing our hiring processes while also addressing historic inequities in our respective fields.”

Soni will step into his new role on July 1, succeeding Associate Professor of Statistics Lynne Steuerle Schofield ’99.