February 19, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that I have appointed David Sanchez as a Provost Faculty Fellow, effective February 1, 2025.
In this role, David will lead efforts to strengthen faculty mentorship and enhance academic advising, ensuring that all students receive the holistic, student-centered support they need to navigate the vast array of opportunities available at Pitt.
As a Provost Faculty Fellow, David will work in collaboration with the Undergraduate Studies team to lead the faculty mentorship component of the University’s Academic Advising Coordination initiative. He will engage faculty and staff advisors across campus to identify best practices, foster a strong mentoring community, and ensure that students benefit from comprehensive faculty guidance throughout their academic journey. Additionally, he will serve as the lead and convener of the Faculty Mentoring Subcommittee of the University Undergraduate Advising Committee (UUAC), providing a structured forum to enhance faculty engagement in mentorship.
Recognizing the essential role faculty play in student success, David will partner with the Student Success team, the Center for Mentoring within the University Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Faculty Development team—all housed within the Office of the Provost—to develop training and professional development opportunities for faculty in this critical subject area. A key focus will be the development of self-paced learning modules that complement Pitt ACT, providing accessible and impactful faculty development resources.
David is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Swanson School of Engineering and serves as the Associate Director of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation. His research focuses on sustainability, water treatment technologies, and engineering education. A dedicated mentor and educator, he has championed interdisciplinary learning, community engagement, and innovative approaches to faculty-student mentorship.
David earned his PhD and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Portland. His leadership in faculty mentorship, student engagement, and interdisciplinary research makes him an outstanding addition to the Office of the Provost’s efforts to enhance faculty-student connections and support student success at Pitt.
Please join me in congratulating David on this well-deserved appointment.
Regards,
Joe
Joseph J. McCarthy
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor
William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Chemical Engineering
University of Pittsburgh