John Wiencek, the last of four finalists selected in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s search for its next executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, will participate in a public presentation from 3 to 4 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Nebraska Union Auditorium.

Wiencek (pronounced Win-sec) is executive vice president and provost at the University of Idaho. He has 30 years of progressively increasing levels of responsibility and success as an academic leader.

At Idaho, Wiencek is responsible for more than 6,000 employees (including approximately 1,000 faculty) and more than 12,000 students seeking degrees in 250-plus academic areas. In addition to Idaho’s main residential campus in Moscow, Wiencek has oversight of education centers in Coeur d’Alene, Boise, Twin Falls and Idaho Falls, as well as extension and research sites across the state’s 44 counties.

Wiencek holds a doctorate and master’s degree in chemical engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati. His research focus is in protein biophysics with applications to drug formulations.

He started his academic career in 1989 as an assistant professor at Rutgers University and joined the University of Iowa as an associate professor in 1995. He spent most of his career at Iowa, advancing through academic ranks and earning significant awards for excellence in teaching, service and research. He has also served in leadership roles at the University of South Florida and Virginia Commonwealth University.

The executive vice chancellor is the university’s academic leader with the mission of achieving academic excellence across the institution. The position reports directly to the chancellor and, working with the academic deans, will assure pursuit of excellence through oversight of undergraduate teaching and learning; diversity and inclusion; enrollment management; education abroad; faculty development; global outreach; graduate mentoring; libraries, promotion and tenure; student affairs; and by developing innovating academic initiatives that will be recognized as unique signature strengths.

Candidates who already visited campus are: Laurie Nichols, interim president of Black Hills State University; Elizabeth Spiller, dean of the College of Letters and Science at the University of California, Davis; and Samuel Mukasa, senior executive for global initiatives, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost, University of Minnesota.

Each candidates, selected through a national search, participates in multiple-day interviews, including public presentations and receptions. A free reception follows each public presentation.

An online feedback form for each candidate is available online. Learn more about the search.