Rebecca Klaper, a distinguished scholar in freshwater sciences, has been named the dean of the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, Interim Provost Bill Farquhar announced today. Her appointment begins Sept. 1.

Klaper comes to UD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, the nation’s only school dedicated to the study of freshwater and aquatic sciences. A member of the faculty since 2003, she has served as dean since 2023.

“Dr. Klaper is an outstanding fit for the college,” said President Laura Carlson. “She brings leadership experience, a strong research record in the science of aquatic, atmospheric and environmental systems, and a commitment to translating that scholarship to real-world policy and societal needs. I look forward to working with her to grow the college’s reach and impact.” 

Reporting to Farquhar, Klaper will be a part of the senior administrative team for the University, responsible for the leadership and advancement of CEOE. The college enrolls about 600 undergraduate and graduate students and has about 60 core faculty members in three academic units: the School of Marine Science and Policy, the Department of Earth Sciences and the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences. Three research and outreach units within the college bring environmental science to public applications: Delaware Sea Grant, the Delaware Geological Survey and the Center for Environmental Monitoring and Analysis. In addition, CEOE owns and operates a fleet of research vessels — including the R/V Hugh R. Sharp — serving UD faculty, students and scientists, as well as researchers from universities, government agencies and private industry across the country.

“At UW-Milwaukee, Dr. Klaper grew enrollment, launched new academic programs, recruited and retained excellent faculty, and built strategic partnerships with government, industry and nonprofit organizations, and she will bring that same energy and vision to the University of Delaware,” Farquhar said.

Carlson and Farquhar thanked the members of the search advisory committee, chaired by Brian Farkas, dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, as well as the members of the UD community who provided feedback on the candidates. They also thanked Tracy DeLiberty, a faculty member in CEOE’s Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences, for serving as interim dean of the college since February.

“It’s truly an honor to be joining UD and CEOE at such an exciting moment, when earth science and the public’s understanding of it are so critically important to the future of our planet,” Klaper said. “I’m looking forward to working alongside the outstanding faculty, students and staff of the University of Delaware.”

About Rebecca Klaper

Rebecca Klaper’s research focuses on investigating emerging contaminants in freshwater such as pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, and PFAS compounds and how they may impact environmental health.

As dean of the School of Freshwater Sciences at UW-Milwaukee, Klaper had oversight of interdisciplinary degree programs spanning undergraduate through doctoral levels. Klaper founded and developed the Great Lakes Genomic Center, which employed genomic technologies to advance environmental science and protect freshwater resources. She launched a new bachelor of science degree program in freshwater science, which grew to 80 students in three years.

Klaper was a Fulbright Scholar in 2017-18. Between 2010 and 2022, she served on three National Academies of Science panels: Environmental Impact of Marketed Sunscreens; Research Progress on Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials; and Research Strategy for EHS Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials.

Before joining the UW-Milwaukee faculty in 2003, Klaper served as a Science and Technology Policy Fellow through the American Association for the Advancement of Science at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Klaper earned her doctoral degree in ecology and a master’s degree in entomology from the University of Georgia. She earned her bachelor’s degree in honors biology from the University of Illinois-Champaign.