It’s been an incredible first year for me as dean of Sargent College. I have had the privilege to learn so much from alumni, students, staff, and faculty. I am proud and honored to be part of Sargent College’s supportive and inclusive community of learners, scholars, professionals, and practitioners—where everyone is devoted to making a difference in health and rehabilitation.

I have also had the privilege of meeting patients we treat in our on-campus clinics. I am moved by their testimonials about how working with students, staff, and faculty has helped them regain their lives. In these clinics, practice informs research, and research informs practice in real time. The results are immediate and innovative solutions, creating new treatments using state-of-the-art technology. You can see this in action in our feature story about research volunteers at the Center for Neurorehabilitation, whose transformative research was published in Nature Medicine.

While ChatGPT has brought artificial intelligence (AI) to the forefront of education, data science and digital health innovation have long been part of Sargent’s research programs. As part of our educational mission, we convened an AI Task Force to leverage our expertise in research to best prepare students to become the workforce of the future. The task force recommended developing courses on AI in healthcare and supporting faculty’s use of AI in teaching. Working with the University’s leaders and University-wide AI initiatives, we will be putting these recommendations into action.

With the greatest impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic largely behind us, student mental health and well-being remains a priority in higher education. In addition to the work happening at the Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, the college is devoted to providing a supportive environment for all students. I am proud of the many ways our Academic Services Center and faculty advisors support this mission, as does the new lobby at 635 Commonwealth Avenue, which offers a welcoming space for frequent student gatherings, small study groups, and peer support. Come visit and take a look!

Once again, we have another ambitious year ahead of us. We have new leadership here at Boston University who know us well. We are in the middle of a strategic planning initiative, finishing a refresh of our vision, mission, and values statements, and identifying several strategic initiatives to ensure our continued leadership in health and rehabilitation sciences. I am excited by the commitment of our staff and faculty to creating a college where everyone in our community can thrive. It is clear: Sargent College is a great place!

All the best,

Jack Dennerlein
Dean and Professor