UNM-LA’s new Dean of Instruction Brent Pickett. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
When Dr. Brent Pickett joined the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) team as its Dean of Instruction he said it felt like a perfect match.
“Even when I interviewed, it was such a good match,” Pickett said.
UNM-LA Chancellor Mike Holtzclaw agreed.
“It was very clear from the interview process and from the feedback from the faculty that his personality and way of interacting with people would fit nicely with Los Alamos,” Holtzclaw said. “We feel he will work well in this community because of who he is …”
Pickett officially entered his new role on Aug. 4, which was previously held by Dr. Paul Allen. As the Dean of Instruction, Pickett oversees academic programming, supports faculty development and fosters cross-departmental collaboration.
He may be new, but Pickett is already at work addressing the community college’s needs.
One of the big priorities is hiring. Pickett said to address the college’s staff shortage, the focus is on hiring more full-time faculty members for welding, business, mechanical engineering and the arts. Over the coming academic year, there will also be hiring for non-academic positions.
Another priority is to deepen UNM-LA’s collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory, Pickett said. Next month he said he will meet with laboratory officials to learn about their needs and how the college can better serve them.
Enhancing internships is an important focus, too. Throughout his career, Pickett said he has seen first-hand internships that were not productive and others that lead to promotions.
The key, he said, is to have a solid structure in place where the experience aligns with the student’s academic needs and at the end of the internship, they are able to present the results of their work.
“The more robust the student experience you make, the more chance the student will have for better career outcomes,” he said.
The hope is to give internships throughout the business and non-profit community, Pickett added.
While there is a lot to do, Pickett said UNM-LA already does so much right.
“I think one of the things that UNM-LA does a good job in is meeting students where they are at,” he said.
He explained whether a student is 30 years old with a lot of job experience or an 18-year-old high school graduate, UNM-LA can serve their needs.
“We’re trying to be a very good fit for a lot of different types of students,” Pickett said.
Another plus is the pool of talent UNM-LA can draw from to instruct its students.
“We are able to draw our temporary, part-time faculty from an unusually talented pool of people,” he said.
For instance, UNM-LA can offer a physics course taught by someone who actually works in the field and has a PhD.
As far as Pickett himself, he has been involved in higher education in some form since he was 17 years old. Before coming to Los Alamos, he worked at the University of Wyoming at Casper for 20 years.
When he and his family decided it was time for a new setting, Pickett said he turned his attention to Northern New Mexico. There are no regrets with moving here; Pickett said they enjoy everything from going to the Friday night concert to fly fishing at the Valles Caldera National Preserve.
“It’s such a good fit – the scenery, the people and the activities,” Pickett said.
