Robert Newman joined AGB Search in 2026. Dr. Newman served as President and Director of the National Humanities Center from 2015–2024, where he expanded the Center’s scholarly and educational reach, doubled the endowment, strengthened diversity initiatives, and broadened public engagement. Previously, he was Dean of the College of Humanities, Professor of English, and Associate Vice President for Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Utah. In these roles, he increased philanthropic support, expanded interdisciplinary and international programs, and advanced diversity and community partnerships. Throughout his career, Dr. Newman has demonstrated a strong commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship, institutional leadership, and the promotion of the humanities in higher education and nationally.
Experience and Honors
Dr. Newman has held leadership and faculty roles at several major research universities, culminating in his leadership of the National Humanities Center. As Dean at the University of Utah, he created federally funded centers in Asian and Latin American Studies, founded the nation’s first graduate program in Environmental Humanities and led the development of the Taft/Nicholson Center for Environmental Humanities in Centennial Valley, Montana, advancing interdisciplinary research and teaching focused on environmental issues.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Newman served on the faculty at the University of South Carolina, where he chaired the Department of English, and held appointments at Texas A&M University and the College of William and Mary.
Dr. Newman has published six books and over one hundred articles, reviews, and poems. For more than twenty-five years, he has served as General Editor of the “Cultural Frames, Framing Culture” series published by the University Press of Virginia. In addition to awards for his administrative, scholarly, and teaching accomplishments, he has been recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by both Penn State and the University of North Carolina.
Education
