July 31, 2000
Biologist Frank Talamantes named vice provost and dean of graduate studies
By Tim Stephens
Biologist Frank Talamantes was appointed last week to the position of vice provost
and dean of graduate studies. Talamantes, a professor of molecular, cellular, and
developmental biology, will begin a three-year term in the position on August 1.
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| Frank Talamantes Photo: Titangos Photography Studio |
In announcing the appointment, Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor John Simpson noted the extensive experience Talamantes brings to the position, not only as a faculty member at UC Santa Cruz, but also through his service to the scientific community and his long-standing commitment to issues of minority and graduate education.
"The chancellor and I are delighted to have Dr. Talamantes join the senior academic administrative group," Simpson said. "At this time in its history, UC Santa Cruz is uniquely poised to build graduate programs of distinction. As the campus moves forward to meet the challenges and responsibilities of the new century, we believe that this appointment provides an excellent opportunity for the campus."
A member of the UCSC faculty since 1974, Talamantes is a prominent endocrinologist and has received numerous awards and honors for his scientific achievements. He currently chairs a study section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) responsible for the review of training grants for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Talamantes is also a past president of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and his leadership on issues of minority education has earned him several awards.
As a researcher, Talamantes has done pioneering work on reproductive hormones and the growth hormone receptor. His current projects include studying the role of reproductive hormones in breast cancer susceptibility. The NIH and the National Science Foundation have funded his research continuously since 1974. Talamantes is the author of 162 manuscripts and 13 book chapters, and serves as the U.S. editor for the Journal of Endocrinology.
In addition to the research he has conducted in his own laboratory, Talamantes has contributed to the work of other investigators around the world by generating and distributing valuable reagents used to study specific hormones and hormone receptors.
Talamantes was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1989. Other honors in recognition of his scientific contributions include the "Transatlantic Medal Lecturer" award from the British Society for Endocrinology in 1991; the Society for the Study of Reproduction Research Award in 1993; and the Endocrine Society's Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Service Award for 2000. He was recently invited to present the Solomon A. Berson Distinguished Lecture at the American Physiological Society meeting in 2001.
In addition to serving as president of SACNAS, Talamantes has been actively involved in NIH programs associated with the advancement of ethnic minority students in the sciences. In 1989, he received an award from the American Association for Higher Education for Outstanding Leadership and Contributions to Education in the Hispanic Community. In 1998, he was selected as one of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics" by Hispanic Business Magazine.
Talamantes has served as major professor to 23 graduate students and as an adviser to 22 postdoctoral fellows. He has also directed the independent research of 60 undergraduate students, many of them ethnic minority students who have gone on to earn Ph.D. or M.D. degrees at other institutions.
Talamantes received his B.A. in biology from the University of St. Thomas in Houston and his M.A. in biology from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. He received his Ph.D. in endocrinology from UC Berkeley. Talamantes joined the UCSC faculty in 1974 and rose to the rank of full professor in 1984.
