Christine Byrd-Jacobs

Dr. Christine Byrd-Jacobs supports graduate student success in many ways as dean, including advocating for graduate education, developing advising and mentoring resources for faculty, coordinating professional development opportunities for students, and oversees the work of the Graduate College team members. She also keeps an eye on enrollment numbers, communicating with WMU faculty and staff to help them promote graduate studies and enhance their recruitment and retention strategies. She works closely with the Graduate Studies Council of the Faculty Senate to improve policies for graduate education and with the Research Advisory Team to facilitate and promote involvement of graduate students in WMU’s discovery mission.

In addition to serving as an administrator, Dean Byrd-Jacobs is a neuroscientist and a full professor of Biological Sciences, with nearly four decades of research experience. Her expertise is in understanding degenerative and regenerative responses in the adult brain to facilitate recovery from injury and disease, using the zebrafish olfactory system as a model. Dr. Byrd-Jacobs loves being in the lab and working with her talented and diverse graduate and undergraduate students. She says she’s inspired by their enthusiasm and energy. To learn more about Dr. Byrd-Jacobs’ research and publications, visit her website.