Providing vision, leadership, and support for faculty, staff, and students that advances ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, INCLUSION and INNOVATION across all schools and programs.
At the heart of Wake Forest is the teacher-scholar ideal.
At the core of Wake Forest University lies our unwavering dedication to the teacher-scholar ideal. This distinctive model propels students beyond traditional classroom boundaries, immersing them in authentic environments—be it groundbreaking scientific research or riveting artistic performances. The Office of the Provost stands as a pillar of support in this educational pursuit, ensuring faculty have access to the vital resources required to guide students on this transformative journey.
Stories of Excellence
Discover How Wake Forest Embodies Excellence
- NASA grant offers Wake Forest students an opportunity to help develop new tools to understand gravity
NASA has awarded Wake Forest University Assistant Professor of Physics Alejandro Cárdenas-Avendaño a two-year, $374,000 grant to advance data analysis capabilities for the anticipated launch of NASA’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) in 2035—the world’s first space-based gravitational wave observatory. - Celebrating 20 years of undergraduate research and discovery
Held over the University’s Family Weekend, URECA Day celebrates student and faculty collaborative scholarship. Students share their work with parents, peers, professors and the Wake Forest community. - What the neuroscience of motivation has to say about GLP-1 drugs
Even before the era of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, Wake Forest University neuroscientist Wayne Pratt dedicated his research lab to better understanding how the brain regulates food motivation.
University News
- Information Systems has seen an increase in compromised accounts as modern phishing campaigns grow more sophisticated, with some […]
- The following message is shared on behalf of Erica Still, associate professor in the Department of English. Multiple […]
- Inauguration Day Wake Forest celebrates the inauguration of the University’s 15th president, President Peter Rodriguez On Friday, Oct. […]
Quantum matter theory helps us understand the building blocks of matter by creating and testing models. Much of this work relies on computer simulations, and some models push the limits of what even modern supercomputers can handle.
One common culprit is the “sign problem,” where quantum properties show up in the math to make probabilities turn negative and make simulation too complex for classical computers. In a new Physical Review Letters paper, Wake Forest physicist Emilie Huffman, pictured above, and her international team pinpointed exactly where in one important class of models this problem disappears, and where it doesn’t. ⚛️
That map shows physicists which questions ordinary computers can answer and which may need quantum computers, helping them push their models further to better understand how matter works.
What questions will shape who we become? 🎓
On Friday, October 30th, Wake Forest faculty from across disciplines gathered in Brendle Recital Hall for the Inauguration Academic Symposium, “The Questions We Haven’t Asked Yet: Curiosity, Inquiry, and the Questions That Shape Who We Become,” in celebration of President Peter Rodriguez’s inauguration.
Moderated by Christine Coughlin (School of Law), the panel brought together Jennifer Claggett (School of Business), Elizabeth Clendinning (Music and Cultural Heritage and Preservation Studies), Eranda Jayawickreme (Psychology), Ken Kishida (Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine), and Alton B. Pollard III (School of Divinity and African American Studies). Together they explored the questions their work is raising today, how those questions may change, and how curiosity can lead to unexpected discoveries!
Thank you to our panelists, President Rodriguez, and everyone who joined us. 💛🖤
Curious about where big questions lead? 🧪✨
At Wake Forest, institutional research bridges inquiry and impact. We turn discoveries in medicine, environmental science, the humanities, and technology into real-world solutions to advance human flourishing.
🔗 Read about research and impact – link in bio!
Why do we ask questions? 🤔
At Wake Forest, academic life is about more than just finding answers. Here, we ask the questions that advance human flourishing across every discipline. That`s what a new semester of curiosity looks like.
🔗 Explore our Stories of Academic Excellence at the link in our bio!
The Office of the Provost extends a warm welcome to the Wake Forest community on this first day of classes!
A new academic year brings such wonderful energy back to campus. We are grateful to the faculty and staff who have prepared our learning spaces, and we look forward to seeing what our students accomplish in the months ahead.
Have a great fall semester, Deacs! 💛 🎩 🌳
Welcome to the Forest! 🎓✨
Last week, our newest cohort of faculty members officially joined us for New Faculty Orientation! From interactive workshops to connecting with leadership and showing off their Deacon pride, it was energizing to spend time building community before the semester begins. 🎩🖤💛
Swipe through for a recap:
📸 1:Exploring campus together
📸 2: Diving into orientation sessions
📸 3: Strategizing for the semester ahead
📸 4: Celebrating our trivia champs
📸 5: Getting one-on-one time with leadership
Human connection + artificial intelligence. 🌳✨
Wake Forest is launching AI for Human Flourishing—a new university-wide initiative guiding how we thoughtfully integrate AI into teaching, research, and campus life, grounded in our core values.
Leading this effort, Hultquist Family Professor of Psychology William Fleeson has been appointed Associate Provost for AI Initiatives.
"Our goal is not simply to adopt new technology. It’s to develop an approach that reflects Wake Forest’s mission—using AI where it enhances teaching, learning, and research, while ensuring human judgment, curiosity, and creativity remain at the center."
Starting this academic year, WFU is rolling out three cross-school pilot programs:
🧭 AI Compass: Ethics, health, & societal impacts
🎨 AI Teaching Studio: Critical thinking & learning
🛠️ AI Impact Clinic: Applied real-world AI projects
🔗 Visit the link in our bio to read the full announcement!
New face in the Office of the Provost! 👋✨ We are delighted to introduce Carter Dow, our incoming Fellow. Our fellowship program is all about fostering leadership, collaboration, and fresh ideas, and we know Carter is going to do amazing things here. We are incredibly excited to work alongside him and see the impact he’ll make on our campus community.
