URI_Research _Magazine_Momentum_Spring_2020_Melissa-McCarthy

Brenton DeBoef Professor of Chemistry Associate Dean of the Graduate School

Developing the next generation of scholars

From online classes to real-time learning analytics and innovation incubators, higher education continues to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology. But the future of academic scholarship relies on developing the next generation of scholars and researchers using an ancient training model that dates back to the Middle Ages remains critically relevant today - the relationship between a mentor and mentee. Brenton DeBoef is the new associate dean of the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School, where he oversees approximately 2,000 students as they progress toward graduate certificates, master’s, and doctoral degrees. But the best part of his day revolves around the students in his own lab. “I want to talk to my students as much as possible about their work,” says DeBoef. “It’s really fun to work with them, to watch them develop, and to try to collectively solve problems.” In addition to his duties in the dean’s office, DeBoef

and researchers relies on an ancient training model that dates back to the Middle Ages, and yet the relationship between a mentor and mentee remains critically relevant today.

is a professor of chemistry with an active research group. As synthetic organic chemists, DeBoef and his team of students build molecules that are of interest to biotech and pharmaceutical companies. His team doesn’t make new drugs or find cures per

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