DU Appoints Frederick "Fritz" Mayer Dean of Josef Korbel School of International Studies

University of Denver Chancellor Rebecca Chopp and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Jeremy Haefner announced today the appointment of Frederick “Fritz” Mayer as dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, effective July 1, 2019.

Mayer comes to the University of Denver from Duke University, where he has been serving most recently as associate dean in the Terry Sanford School of Public Policy. His previous positions at Duke include director of the Center for Political Leadership, Innovation and Service, director of the Duke Policy Bridge, and director of the Program on Global Policy and Governance.

“We are thrilled to welcome Fritz Mayer to the DU community. His experience and interests not only align with those of so many in Korbel and beyond, but they are deeply important in the 21st century,” said Chopp. “Fritz will bring new ideas to Korbel and, under his leadership, DU students will be even more prepared to pursue meaningful and rewarding careers in international relations.”

“Fritz’s experience in public policy, his deep knowledge of globalization trends and his distinguished scholarship in these areas will be a significant force in increasing Korbel’s recognition among international studies programs,” said Haefner. Each of the 12 deans at DU report to the Provost.

Mayer’s areas of expertise and interests include the role of narrative in global environmental politics, global value chains for public policy and governance, the politics of climate change legislation, and energy and trade policy.

In addition to his academic leadership, Mayer has also served as senior international trade and foreign policy advisor to former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley from 1992 to 1993 and as a policy analyst at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Mayer earned his master’s in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and his PhD in public policy from Harvard.

"I am deeply honored to be named the next Dean of the Korbel School at the University of Denver. It is so exciting to join such a vibrant community of faculty, staff and students who share a common commitment to addressing the great challenges of our time,” said Mayer. “Korbel has a rich history of engaged scholarship and inspired teaching. I look forward to building on those traditions and helping to lead the school as, together, we write the next chapter in its story."

Mayer and his wife, Mary Kay Delaney, a professor of education at Meredith College and noted educator in diversity and equity, will relocate to Denver this summer.

Pardis Mahdavi, senior associate dean, has been serving as acting dean of Korbel since October 2017. She assumed the role previously held by Ambassador Christopher Hill, who now serves as the chief advisor to the chancellor for global engagement and professor of the practice in diplomacy.

“Chancellor Chopp and I want to thank acting dean Mahdavi for her leadership of Korbel during the last year. We also want to thank the members of the search committee for their thoughtful work on helping us complete this important search,” said Haefner.

Josef Korbel School of International Studies Dean Search Committee

• Danny McIntosh, Committee Chair, Dean of CAHSS
• Luc Beaudoin, Vice Provost for Internationalization, Associate Professor, CAHSS
• Bob Dean, Social Science Foundation
• Daniel Doerr, Director, Graduate Enrollment
• Ilene Grabel, Co-Director of GFTEI, Professor
• Michele Hanna, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Social Work
• Cullen Hendrix, Co-Director of PhD Program, Associate Professor
• Sandy Johnson, Director, Global Health Affairs, Teaching Professor
• Frank Laird, Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Associate Professor
• Trygve Myhren, DU Board of Trustees
• Tricia Olsen, Associate Professor, Daniels Department of Business Ethics and Legal Studies
• Michael Ransom, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Development, Advancement