David W. Pershing is an American educator and former president of the

University of Utah The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...

. He received a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

from

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

in 1970 and a

PhD A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

from

University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it ...

Career

Pershing joined the faculty of the

in 1977 as a professor of chemical engineering. He was name
a Presidential Young Investigator by the National Science Foundation in 1984
and became dean of the

College of Engineering Engineering education is the activity of teaching knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering. It includes an initial education ( Dip.Eng.)and (B.Eng.) or ( M.Eng.), and any advanced education and specializations tha ...

in 1987. He was named a Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering in 1995. In 1998, university President Bernie Machen named Pershing as senior vice president for Academic Affairs. In March 2012, Pershing was named president of the University of Utah, where he also holds an appointment as a distinguished professor of chemical engineering.

Mary Beckerle controversy

In April 2017, he was involved in the controversial firing of

Mary Beckerle Mary C. Beckerle is an American cell biologist who studies cancer at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah School of Medicine. At Huntsman Cancer Institute, she is the CEO, and is Associate Vice President for Cancer Affairs at th ...

, CEO and director of the university's

Huntsman Cancer Institute Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) is an NCI-designated cancer research facility and hospital located on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center ...

. Pershing soon reinstated Beckerle following protests from members of the university community and the Huntsman family. On 28 April, the university's senior vice president for Health Sciences,

Vivian Lee Vivian S. Lee (born September 1966) is an American radiologist and health care/health technology executive. An Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School and senior lecturer at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Lee is t ...

, announced her resignation in the wake of the Beckerle incident. During a meeting of the university's Academic Senate on May 1, Pershing announced his own resignation, stating that it was in part "so that the person picking the new VP f Health Sciencesis the new president." Pershing continued serving as president during the search for his successor. Ruth V. Watkins was selected, and succeeded Pershing on 2 April 2018, at which time he rejoined the faculty of engineering.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pershing, David W. University of Utah faculty Living people American chemical engineers Purdue University College of Engineering alumni University of Arizona alumni Presidents of the University of Utah 1948 births