M.r.c. Greenwood PhD

Dr. M.R.C. Greenwood is Chancellor Emerita, University of California, Santa Cruz, and currently Director of the Foods for Health Initiative, Chair of the Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology, and Distinguished Professor of Nutrition and Internal Medicine at the University of California, Davis. She also holds an appointment as an Adjunct Professor of Public Health and Nutrition at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Greenwood is a nationally and internationally known expert on obesity and diabetes. She has numerous publications investigating the basis of obesity and diabetes.

In addition, she is a national leader in science and technology policy and an expert on higher education policy issues. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine at the National Academies of Sciences. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, is a fellow, past president and board chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and is a fellow of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). She currently chairs the Policy and Global Affairs division of the NRC at the National Academies of Sciences.

Dr. Greenwood served as Associate Director for Science in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy from 1993 to 1995. There she provided authoritative information and advice on a broad array of scientific areas to the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in support of the President and his objectives and programs. She was responsible for the effort leading to two major science policy documents whose tenets continued to gather bi-partisan support: "Science in the National Interest" and "Meeting the Challenge: Health, Safety, and Food for America." In addition, she played a leadership role in coordinating inter-department and interagency science activities.

Dr. Greenwood served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for the 10-campus University of California (UC) system, the second highest position in the 10-campus system. Her responsibilities included the development of academic and research policy, administrative oversight of University planning and associated academic budget matters, liaison with the University-wide Academic Senate and student governments, liaison to the California Postsecondary Education Commission, development of policy in such areas as admissions and outreach, library planning, and student affairs. She was also responsible for University Extension, summer sessions, the University Press, and the UC Natural Reserve System, among other responsibilities.

Dr. Greenwood served as Dean of Graduate Studies, Vice Provost for academic outreach, and Professor of Nutrition and Internal Medicine at UC Davis. While at UC Davis she maintained an active well well-supported research program focusing on the genetic basis for diabetes and obesity and in areas related to women's health. Dr. Greenwood was the John Guy Vassar Professor of Natural Sciences and chair of the biology department at Vassar College. She initiated the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI) which continues today to be a signature program for the college. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the biotech company Maxygen, Inc. and has also served on various other for-profit and non-profit advisory boards.

Dr. Greenwood graduated summa cum laude from Vassar College and received her Ph.D. from The Rockefeller University. Her research interests are in developmental cell biology, genetics, neurosciences, physiology, women's health, nutrition and science, and higher education policy. Her work over the past 40 years, focusing on the genetic causes of obesity, is recognized worldwide. She is the author of numerous scientific publications and presentations. Dr. Greenwood served as President of the University of Hawaii from 2009 - 2013.