Introducing Vice Provost for Education, Cigdem Talgar

Dear members of the Tufts community,  

I am pleased to announce that following a national search, Cigdem Talgar [Chee-dem Tal-gar], Ph.D. has been appointed vice provost for education, which is a brand-new role for the university. Her appointment is effective December 1, 2022.   

In this role, Dr. Talgar will support our mission by reimagining education at Tufts and developing and executing an innovative strategy in collaboration with the university community. Dr. Talgar will serve as a strategic partner for deans on academic planning, establish collaborative networks across the university to coordinate activities, and enhance the student experience. 

In her current role as associate vice chancellor in the Educational Innovation division at Northeastern University, Dr. Talgar has led the development of multiple educational centers and institutional initiatives, including founding the Center for Advancing Teaching and Learning through Research. In addition, she helped enhance experiential learning opportunities, including Northeastern’s co-operative education program.      

As a cognitive psychologist and researcher, Dr. Talgar’s areas of expertise include attentional processes mediating cognition, memory and learning, and experiential learning and educational innovation to support robust and equitable learning environments. Dr. Talgar has received multiple awards from the National Science Foundation, published work on high– impact learning practices, and collaborated with institutions internationally to advance this work.  

A progressive leader and an advocate for experiential, equitable learning, Dr. Talgar received her M.A. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology from New York University and her B.Sc. in psychology from the University of Toronto. 

I would be remiss not to mention the search committee’s critical role throughout the rigorous search process. I am deeply grateful for their time and insight. 

I look forward to Dr. Talgar sharing her holistic and evidence-based approach to learning at Tufts. I invite you to learn more about Dr. Talgar in her interview with Tufts Now. 

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Talgar as our inaugural vice provost for education.  

Warm regards, 
Caroline  

Caroline Attardo Genco 
Provost and Senior Vice President ad interim