NEWS
NORMAN, OKLA. – Four faculty members from the University of Oklahoma have been named 2025-26 Fellows of the Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program, an initiative aimed at preparing the next generation of academic leaders to meet the evolving challenges of higher education.
“Each of our 2025 SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Fellows has made a lasting impact through their leadership, innovation and commitment to the OU community,” said OU Senior Vice President and Provost André-Denis Wright. “We celebrate this tremendous accomplishment and look forward to their continued contributions to our university and beyond.”
This year’s OU fellows are:
John P. Masly, Ph.D., associate director in the School of Biological Sciences, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences
Robin Minthorn (Kiowa), Ph.D., professor and department chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education
Anne E. Pate, Ph.D., associate professor in Public and Community Health Programs, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, and director of Undergraduate Public Health and Population and Community Health, Hudson College of Public Health
Kevin Sauer, Ph.D., professor and chair, College of Allied Health, OU Health Sciences
OU Vice Provost Sarah Ellis, Ph.D., oversees the selection process for OU. “Programs like the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program have elevated academic collaboration and leadership across the conference,” Ellis said. “This initiative truly exemplifies how joining the SEC has benefited OU well beyond the playing field.”
The SEC Academic Leadership Development Program features three components: university-level development initiatives tailored by each member institution; two three-day, SEC-wide workshops hosted by selected campuses; and a competitive fellowship program for former fellows seeking advanced leadership experience.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Wei Yue, Ph.D., a professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the OU College of Pharmacy, has received a $1.9 million National Institutes of Health award to uncover new ways to predict when multiple medications taken together could cause dangerous side effects.
People with type 2 diabetes were much more likely to achieve remission after weight-loss surgery than after intensive medical and lifestyle management, according to a long-term study. Researchers also identified patient characteristics linked to remission and to the likelihood of diabetes returning.
The University of Oklahoma College of Law has named Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice James R. Winchester as the 2026 recipient of the Eugene Kuntz Award. The annual award recognizes professionals who have made significant contributions to oil, gas and natural resources law.
