Graduate School

Janet Blume is the interim dean of the Graduate School at Brown University, a role she began on August 1, 2025. Blume is responsible for engaging and supporting graduate students enrolled in doctoral and master’s programs in more than 40 departments, centers and institutes, including the School of Engineering, the School of Public Health, the Division of Biology and Medicine, and the School of Professional Studies.

In her interim capacity, Blume is dedicated to  working with academic programs across the University to sustain excellence in doctoral and MFA education, supporting student success and strengthening the overall structure of graduate education. Her responsibilities include financial oversight, admissions, funding, and leading the school’s staff.

A tenured faculty member in the School of Engineering specializing in the mathematical aspects of the mechanics of solids, Blume has served in numerous key academic leadership positions, including deputy dean of the faculty and interim chair of several academic departments. As deputy provost, she plays a central role in shaping and advancing the academic mission of the University. She continues to serve as Deputy Provost while taking on this interim role.

Blume earned her bachelor of science in engineering magna cum laude from Princeton University in 1982, followed by a doctoral degree in applied mechanics from the California Institute of Technology in 1986. In the School of Engineering, she taught engineering courses at all levels of the graduate and undergraduate curricula. She served terms as the Director of Undergraduate  and Director of Undergraduate studies. She is a recipient of the Philip J. Bray award for Excellence in Teaching in the Physical Sciences, the School of Engineering Dedicated Faculty award, and the Karen T. Romer Prize for Excellence in Advising.

Committed to broader educational outreach, Blume has taught math at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, led an engineering-based Research Opportunities for Teachers program, and collaborated with students and teachers at Hope High School in Providence, developing and implementing long-term engineering projects for their physics classes.