Inge Wefes serves as Associate Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado Denver|Anschutz Medical Campus where she directs, among other duties, the development of new graduate programs and outreach efforts. Prior to moving to Denver she was in Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School in Boston and then in Molecular Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF), where she initiated and spearheaded the development of three Master’s programs (i.e. Bioethics, Bioinformatics, and Biotechnology). The latter two became the first two recognized Professional Science Master’s Programs in the State of Florida, and the PSM Bioinformatics Program was sponsored by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. As Associate Professor at USF, Dr. Wefes served as the Director and Student Advisor of two dual degree graduate programs, two PSM programs and three Graduate Certificate Programs. She was also actively engaged in teaching and course development and served as course director and instructor of six graduate courses and one undergraduate course. In spring 2011, USF’s College of Medicine rewarded her creativity and commitment to science education with the inaugural award for “Innovation in Teaching”. Due to her intensive collaboration with local industry, in 2010 Dr. Wefes led the PSM Program in Biotechnology to become one of the finalists for the Annual Industry Achievement Awards of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum., Dr. Wefes served on multiple boards including the PSM Advisory Board of the National Council of Graduate Schools, the State-wide Initiative for The Promotion of PSM Programs in the State of Florida and as Advisor to The Governor’s Task Force for The Study of Biotech Competitiveness. She also was a member of the Board of the National Professional Science Master's Association and later its Executive Board, and she co-chaired the NPSMA National Conference in 2013.
After relocating to Denver in summer 2012 to assume the position of Associate Dean of the University of Colorado Denver Graduate School, Dr. Wefes pioneered four new outreach efforts in the form of Mini-Schools, including a Mini-STEM School, and she brought to the State the first Colorado Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors. Banking on her successful experience in Florida, in Denver Dr. Wefes also developed a Master's Program in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology that is currently under review by the University of Colorado Board of Regents. On its approval, she will serve as its Director and apply for recognition of this program as a PSM program. Dr. Wefes is also one of 10 recipient Principal Investigators nationwide of the 2013 NIH BEST Award for "Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training". Her long-standing and far-reaching experience in the training on biomedical science graduate students will be an asset to the NPSMA Board and its constituents.
