People
Barbara A. Bichelmeyer, Ph.D., an academic leader in the field instructional design and technology, was appointed provost and executive vice chancellor of the University of Kansas in February 2020. Bichelmeyer, a Kansas City native, also holds an appointment as a professor in the KU School of Education & Human Sciences.
Charlie Bankart is the associate vice provost for international affairs at the University of Kansas, where he serves as KU’s senior international affairs officer. He is responsible for providing institution-wide leadership in support of university internationalization and directs central KU International Affairs Administration. He also oversees the operations of the Applied English Center, International Short Programs, International Support Services, International Admissions and Study Abroad & Global Engagement.
Tammara Durham joined KU in 1998 as assistant director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center. She served as director of the University Advising Center from 2004 to 2011. Durham was named vice provost for student affairs at the University of Kansas in May 2012 after serving as interim vice provost since September 2011. Prior to that, she served as associate vice provost for Student Success since January 2011.
As the vice provost for student affairs, Durham is the senior student affairs officer for the main campus in Lawrence and is responsible for student life, support and leadership programs, student auxiliary services and student-supported wellness programs. The Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs coordinates and develops student support services and programs and serves as an advocate for student needs across the university community that contribute to overall academic success.
Durham received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southwest Missouri State University and her doctorate from the University of Kansas in higher education administration.
Emily is the assistant to Diane Goddard and Linda Luckey. She joined the staff in the Provost’s Office in 2007 and previously worked in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office since 2002. Before coming to KU she was a paralegal for an amusement park and also worked in a law office.
Jenny Mehmedovic is associate director of the Center for Faculty Development & Mentoring at The University of Kansas. Jenny is an experienced facilitator with more than 20 years in higher education. In her work, Jenny seeks to foster faculty and academic leadership development and the creation of inclusive work environments. Her current professional focus is on building peer mentoring networks and other active learning opportunities for a variety of faculty audiences. Jenny has presented nationally on topics including leadership, organizational change, organizational and professional development, effective teams, and working from your strengths. She provides professional facilitation upon request to groups engaged in strategic planning, team building, and process improvement. Jenny is an active member of the Community of Practice for Faculty Affairs Professionals. She formerly served as a member of the EDUCAUSE Connect 2015 Program Committee, as a faculty member of the EDUCAUSE Management Institute from 2009-2012, and is a 2005 Frye Leadership Institute Fellow. Jenny has bachelor's degrees in anthropology and Spanish and a master's degree in business administration.
Dr. Jennifer A. Roberts is the Director and Managing Trustee of the Self Graduate Fellowship Department. She also serves as Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and is a Professor in the Department of Geology. Dr. Roberts received her doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin and served as a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Water Research Division of the USGS before joining the University of Kansas in 2001. Her research focuses on hydrochemistry and microbial geochemistry, bridging basic and applied science to better understand the role of microorganisms in mineral weathering as it applies to carbon sequestration, petroleum reservoir diagenesis, paleoclimate, and water quality from nano- to landscape-scales. Prior to her roles with Graduate Studies, Dr. Roberts served as Chair of the Geology Department.
For her research as well as her teaching, Dr. Roberts has received recognition such as the Professional Excellence Award from the Association for Women in Geoscience, the Docking Young Faculty Scholar Award, and the Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett Women Mentoring Women Award, among others. Her work has also received multiple major funding awards from institutions such as the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, the American Chemical Society, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
