Shawn Whiteman Named Interim Dean of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services

Shawn Whiteman, associate dean for research and innovation at CEHS and professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, has been named the interim dean of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. The move follows former Dean Al Smith’s transition to interim president of Utah State University on February 20.

Interim President Al Smith has said about Whiteman’s new responsibilities in CEHS, “Dr. Whiteman has shown strong leadership in our college and is recognized across campus for his accomplishments. I am certain he will represent our college wonderfully as a member of the dean’s council and as our interim dean.”

In his role as associate dean for research and innovation, Whiteman has cultivated growth in basic and applied research through innovative training programs; promoted connections with appropriate federal, state, and industry partners; supported entrepreneurial initiatives; and facilitated technology transfer and unique forms of research translation. He has held this position since 2019.

As head of the Office of Research Services (ORS) in CEHS, Whiteman and his team provide support services to CEHS faculty applying for grants, contracts, or awards. These support services aided the $46M in extramural expenditures by researchers in CEHS in FY2024. The funding comes from external sources such as the federal and state governments, private industries, as well as foundations and non-profits.

Whiteman looks forward to advancing the many missions of CEHS in the months ahead. “During this transitional period, the college will continue efforts to advance our missions focused on teaching and learning, research and scholarship, clinical training and practice as well as translation and extension,” says Interim Dean Whiteman. “I am confident that work in these domains will maintain momentum given the talents of the faculty, staff, and students in the college as well as the experienced leadership team across the CEHS.”

Whiteman’s academic research investigates the connections between family socialization processes and youth’s health and socioemotional adjustment. He is especially interested in how siblings directly and indirectly act as sources of social influence and social comparison within families and how their family experiences foster similarities and differences in their relationship qualities, attributes, and health-related behaviors. His work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense, as well as private foundations.

Particularly noteworthy is a recent $1.25M grant from the NSF that was awarded to Whiteman (co-PI) and colleague David Feldon (PI), associate vice provost of the school of graduate studies and professor of instructional technology and learning sciences. The grant creates an innovative postdoctoral training program aimed at transitioning three postdocs with interdisciplinary research expertise directly into tenure-line positions within the college.

Whiteman has also been recognized recently on today.com, National Public Radio’s (NPR) Morning Edition, and the Atlantic.

To date, Whiteman has published 75 peer-reviewed articles and 13 academic chapters and encyclopedia entries. As principal investigator, Whiteman has secured $3.9 million in grant funding from the NIH to support his work. As a co-investigator, he has contributed to grants totaling over $5 million from sources such as the NIH, NSF, and Department of Defense.

Whiteman earned his PhD in human development and family studies with a graduate minor in statistics from Pennsylvania State University in 2004. He spent the first 11 years of his career in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University before joining the faculty at HDFS in 2016.