Chancellor Joseph E. Steinmetz

Joseph E. Steinmetz, Ph.D., became the sixth chancellor at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville on Jan. 1, 2016 after previously serving as The Ohio State University’s chief academic officer since July 1, 2013. As executive vice president and provost there, he oversaw the administration, coordination, and development of all academic functions of the university.

Steinmetz came to Ohio State in 2009, tapped to serve as vice provost for arts and sciences and executive dean of the then-new College of Arts and Sciences. With his leadership, the former five independent colleges of arts and sciences were unified into the largest arts and sciences college in the country.

Before coming to Ohio State, Steinmetz was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, where he was also a university distinguished professor. He previously served for 19 years at Indiana University, where he was executive associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Department of Psychology. At Indiana he was also a distinguished professor of psychological and brain sciences. Throughout his career and administrative leadership, he has been committed to strengthening interdisciplinary research and collaborations across departments and colleges.

A nationally respected behavioral neuroscientist, Steinmetz was recognized in 1996 by the National Academy of Sciences for his contributions to the fields of experimental psychology and neuroscience. In 2012 he was named an AAAS Fellow.

His research interests include neuroanatomical and neurophysiological substrates of learning and memory; the effects of alcohol on neural and behavioral function; neurobiological and behavioral models of fetal alcohol syndrome; and the neurobiology of simple human learning, memory, and cognitive function.

Dr. Steinmetz earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Central Michigan University and his doctorate at Ohio University.

Steinmetz came to Ohio State in 2009, tapped to serve as vice provost for arts and sciences and executive dean of the then-new College of Arts and Sciences. With his leadership, the former five independent colleges of arts and sciences were unified into the largest arts and sciences college in the country.

Before coming to Ohio State, Steinmetz was dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, where he was also a university distinguished professor. He previously served for 19 years at Indiana University, where he was executive associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Department of Psychology. At Indiana he was also a distinguished professor of psychological and brain sciences. Throughout his career and administrative leadership, he has been committed to strengthening interdisciplinary research and collaborations across departments and colleges.

A nationally respected behavioral neuroscientist, Steinmetz was recognized in 1996 by the National Academy of Sciences for his contributions to the fields of experimental psychology and neuroscience. In 2012 he was named an AAAS Fellow.

His research interests include neuroanatomical and neurophysiological substrates of learning and memory; the effects of alcohol on neural and behavioral function; neurobiological and behavioral models of fetal alcohol syndrome; and the neurobiology of simple human learning, memory, and cognitive function.