Named as Central’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 2013, John Barthell, Ph.D., leads the university’s highly regarded faculty, fostering an innovative learning community where teaching comes first and students develop personal relationships with faculty who are committed to transforming lives.

Barthell served Central for 18 years before being named Provost, seven of those as the dean of the College of Mathematics and Science. Additionally, Barthell served as the college’s associate dean and the assistant dean for the Jackson College of Graduate Studies.

Barthell considers undergraduate research important to maintaining Central’s relevance as an institution of higher education. He serves as the principal investigator of three National Science Foundation grants that support research at the university. He also started the Center for Undergraduate Research and Education in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), which has developed into a national model for encouraging research in these areas.
Barthell also serves on the national Council on Undergraduate Research, leading its Faculty Rewards and Recognition Committee and working as an evaluation facilitator for universities in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Barthell participates in the Oklahoma ArtScience Prize program for Oklahoma City high school students through Creative Oklahoma, and is the author of more than 50 articles, many of which address topics relating to Central’s transformative learning practices.

Barthell holds a B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.