Barbara Timmermann serving as interim dean of pharmacy school

LAWRENCE — Barbara Timmermann, University Distinguished Professor and chair of medicinal chemistry, has agreed to serve as interim dean of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy. Her appointment became effective May 12.

Barbara Bichelmeyer, provost and executive vice chancellor, received numerous nominations and input for the position, which were helpful in guiding the decision. Timmerman received the most nominations from members of the pharmacy school.

Timmermann joined KU in 2005 and immediately stepped into the role of department chair. Her involvement with important aspects of administration, such as budget, personnel management, fundraising and facilities use, will serve the school during the search for a permanent dean.

Prior to joining KU, Timmermann spent nearly 25 years at the University of Arizona. She is a trained biologist and a natural products chemist who has a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba in Argentina and a master’s and doctorate in botany both from the University of Texas at Austin.

Her research and scholarly activities have made important contributions to numerous interdisciplinary programs and centers supported by the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies. She has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral research associates and junior faculty. 

In 2001, she was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and was named a fellow of the American Society of Pharmacognosy in 2014.