Biography

Elizabeth A. Unger, Vice Provost for Academic Services and Technology, Dean of Continuing Education, Professor of Computing and Information Sciences at Kansas State University is an engineer, mathematician and computer scientist. She holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Mathematics from Michigan State University. A Ph.D. was earned from the University of Kansas in Computer Science in 1978.

From 1959-1961 she worked with IBM on such projects as the first automation of the assembly line of Oldsmobile resulting in a custom built car every 13 seconds; and the automation of the control systems gas and electric power systems for Consumers Power Company in the State of Michigan. She served as Director of User Services at the Computing Laboratory at Michigan State University from 1961-1966

At Kansas State University she served as Associate Director and Acting Director of the Computer Center from 1966-1974 and has been a Professor of Computer Science since the department's creation. She was the Associate Dean of the Graduate School from 1990-1994 and has served in her current position as Vice Provost and Dean since then.

She serves on the Great Plains Network Board, the Information Technology Advisory Board of Kansas, and on the visionary group for Kansas Education Network (Kan-Ed).

Current interests involve using technology as a tool to support the university in the information age including organized university information systems, distance and life-long learning, digital libraries, and digital technology transfer. Institutions of higher education are facing many challenges today including the shift to student orientation, funding, competitive environments and the need to actively leverage their information resources.

EDUCAUSE Involvement

Publications

Case Study 18: Kansas State University: Creating a Virtual ...

EDUCAUSE Publications

May 2012

Growing the Next Generation of Leaders

EDUCAUSE Quarterly

August 2008

A Solution Looking for a Problem

EDUCAUSE Review

May 2008

Presentations