G. Richard “Dick” Tucker, Ph.D., has joined Carnegie Mellon Qatar as interim dean for the next year. Tucker succeeds Chuck Thorpe, who stepped down after leading the campus in Doha for six years.

“Dick is an excellent choice. He has lived extensively in the Middle East and around the world, developing educational systems. He has been coming to Doha for almost 30 years,” says Thorpe. “Dick was a central part of the committee that planned our curriculum for Qatar. I count him as a scholar, a leader, and a mentor; and I am sure that under his leadership Carnegie Mellon Qatar will continue its focus on academic excellence and community involvement.”

Tucker is the Paul Mellon University Professor of Applied Linguistics at Carnegie Mellon. Prior to joining Carnegie Mellon, Tucker served as president of the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, DC and as professor of Psychology and Linguistics at McGill University. He has published more than 200 books, articles or reviews concerning diverse aspects of second language learning and teaching.

In addition to his work in North America, Tucker spent five years working as a language education advisor for the International Division of the Ford Foundation in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

“Ever since we began offering classes at Education City in 2004, I have felt Carnegie Mellon Qatar is an integral part of the global Carnegie Mellon community. I am delighted to have the opportunity to work on a day-to-day basis with our talented and committed students, staff and faculty in Qatar,” says Tucker.