Liz Silva has been named associate vice provost for graduate education. She joins Stanford following several years of supporting graduate and professional students at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), a graduate-only institution focused on STEM education.

Liz Silva is associate vice provost for graduate education. (Image credit: Alex Gillaspy)

“I am really excited to be on a campus with students from all disciplines and fields,” said Silva. “I have a real passion for research, policy, and graduate education, and understanding the factors that go into student success.”

As associate vice provost, Silva will serve as the point person for issues related to graduate education policy. She will work closely with graduate student groups to provide workshops, training, and other opportunities that support students’ professional and career development. She will also help develop marketing and communications strategies for the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

“Liz Silva has a successful track record of working directly with and championing the needs of graduate students at the highest levels of academia,” said Stacey Bent, vice provost for graduate education and postdoctoral affairs. “Her experience and expertise will serve Stanford well as students return to campus this fall and we navigate the coming year and plan for opportunities beyond.”

Silva is a native of Vancouver, Canada. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology at Simon Fraser University and a Master of Science in genetics at the University of Alberta. She moved to the United Kingdom to complete her doctoral studies in developmental biology at University College, London, and later to the United States, where she completed postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Francisco.

For three years, Silva served as an editor of PLOS ONE, a peer-reviewed, open access scientific journal from the Public Library of Science that publishes interdisciplinary research with the aim of accelerating the pace of scientific advancement.

Silva returned to UCSF to serve as the founding director of the Motivating INformed Decisions (MIND) program, which helps students explore career paths. That was followed by six years as associate dean at UCSF, a role that provided holistic support to graduate students, including professional development, mental health and well-being support, curriculum development, and addressing issues related to governance, recruitment, and admission.

Silva joined Stanford’s Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education in August. She succeeds Helen Doyle, who retired earlier this year after 16 years at Stanford. The office serves as the university’s main professional support center for graduate and professional students.

“I view VPGE as a hub of the wheel,” Silva said. “We are a place for graduate students in all seven schools and across disciplines to receive professional development support. We can also connect them to other resources on campus that have specialized expertise.”