Scientist to lead Wellesley College

A Yale biologist and deputy provost, appointed Wellesley's 13th president yesterday, will be the first scientist to lead the women's liberal arts college.

Search committee members said they did not set out to look for a scientist, and that Kim Bottomly's academic background does not signal a shift in direction for Wellesley, which they said already has a strong science faculty.

"For young women to be well-educated in the sciences is critical for us, but we just thought she was the most qualified and best person for Wellesley right now," said Victoria Herget, chairwoman of the school's board of trustees and a member of the presidential search committee.

Salem State College also selected its 13th president yesterday. Patricia Maguire Meservey, provost and academic vice president at Suffolk University in Boston, will lead the 10,000-student school starting mid summer.

Bottomly, a Montana native who specializes in the biology of the immune system, will begin overseeing Wellesley's 2,300-student campus Aug. 1. She replaces Diana Chapman Walsh, who is retiring after nearly 14 years as president.

Bottomly, 61, said she was drawn to Wellesley because of its commitment to "training women who make a difference," which matches her own priorities.

"I'm a '60s person and I've always been interested in women's issues," Bottomly said in a phone interview yesterday.

Bottomly graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in zoology and earned her doctorate in biological structure from the University of Washington School of Medicine.

As a scientist, Bottomly studied how people respond to allergens and why inhaled allergens may lead to lung injury. She is the principal investigator on five grants from the National Institutes of Health, as well as other research grants, which support her 16-person laboratory at Yale Medical School.

"She is a top scientist in her field, bringing a fresh and interesting perspective on the liberal arts," Rosa Fernandez, a Wellesley senior who served on the search committee, said in a statement.

Bottomly joined the Yale faculty in 1980 after conducting postdoctoral work in immunology at the National Institutes of Health. As a deputy provost, Bottomly oversaw science, technology, and faculty development.

One of her main responsibilities at Yale , Bottomly said, was to diversify the faculty. She started an initiative to recruit more women scientists and underrepresented minorities in all fields, and oversaw mentoring of junior faculty to help with retention. Bottomly also helped recruit more female graduate and postdoctoral students in biological sciences.

Richard C. Levin , president of Yale University, called Bottomly an "outstanding scientist and proven leader in advancing the representation and status of women in the academy," in a statement provided to the Globe.

Susan Hockfield, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a former Yale provost who worked with Bottomly, said in a written statement that Bottomly's "deep intelligence" and "great personal warmth" make her a "truly inspired" choice.

"Her own distinguished career as a scientist makes her a great model for young women," Hockfield said.

Me servey, 55, was elected president by Salem State College's board of trustees during a special meeting, after the pool of 90 applicants had been winnowed to three finalists.

Prior to Suffolk, Meservey worked at Northeastern University, where she was vice provost for faculty and budget, a nursing professor, special assistant to the president, and interim vice provost for enrollment management. She has a reputation for transforming nursing and medical education.

Howard Wayne, chairman of the board of trustees at Salem State, said the board selected Me servey because of her record in academics and fund-raising.

Meservey's salary is still being negotiated, but she is expected to make approximately $200,000.

Meservey said Salem State, a largely commuter school that's a strong economic force in the region, is under consideration for university status to beef up its prestige and help start its first doctoral programs.

"The hope and expectation is to continue to grow and advance the quality of our academic programs," said Me servey in a phone interview last night.

James Vaznis of the Globe staff contributed to the article. Tracy Jan can be reached at tjan@globe.com.