Brewer Named New Leader for Information Technology

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Dennis Brewer, associate vice chancellor for information technology and director of information technology services.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Dennis W. Brewer has been appointed associate vice chancellor for information technology and director of information technology services, effective Oct. 22. Brewer has been serving as interim director since July 1. He is an experienced administrator and currently serves as associate vice provost for research and economic development and director of the office of research and sponsored programs.

As a part of a reorganizing effort for ITS, Brewer will now report to both the provost and the vice chancellor for finance and administration.

“Dennis has demonstrated since his interim appointment July 1 that he is a great fit for this position,” said Donald O. Pederson, vice chancellor for finance and administration. “I look forward to his continuing leadership in raising the level of information technology services on the campus particularly in the support of teaching and research.”

“Dennis Brewer knows the campus, knows the academic side, and has worked well with ITS on multiple projects over the years,” said Provost Sharon Gaber. “He has worked diligently to move BlackBoard to the level of service that the campus expects and recommended the decision to outsource the server to ensure such service. He is committed to finding the best ways to use the latest technology to further our educational goals.”

Brewer is a professor of mathematics and chaired the department of computer science until it was combined with the department of computer engineering in 1999. He was heavily involved in combining the two departments.

Brewer will be assuming the duties of Robert E. Zimmerman, the former associate vice chancellor for information technology services, who retired after 25 years with the university. During that time, Zimmerman guided the university through a period of revolutionary technological change and into the digital realm of the 21^st century.

Information Technology Services provides computing, network facilities and services in support of instruction, research and administration for the students, faculty and staff at the University of Arkansas.

“I am honored and challenged to be chosen for this position at a critical time for information technology to support the teaching, research and service missions of the university,” Brewer said. “I am looking forward to working with the ITS team and IT professionals across the campus in delivering computing systems that are reliable, responsive and robust. The rapid growth of mobile devices brings the possibility of delivering a ‘work-anywhere, study-anywhere’ environment to our campus community. ITS will be listening to faculty, staff and students as we continue to build a supportive information technology environment.”

During his time at the University of Arkansas, Brewer has had visiting appointments at the Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Mathematics at Virginia Tech University, at NASA Langley Research Center, and at the National Center for Toxicological Research. He has received grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. He has also served as a review panelist for the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. He holds a doctoral degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and a bachelor’s degree from Sterling College in Kansas.