London Business School Professor Steven Currall Named New Dean “Academic Entrepreneur” Will Take the Reins July 1
S
teven Currall, a vice dean and faculty member who
160 technology start-ups that together raised more than
held joint positions at University College London and
$300 million in equity capital and more than $4.5 million
the London Business School, has been appointed dean of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management. Currall was selected following an international search
in external funding. Currall’s research has been published in both management and science/engineering journals, including Organi-
and will begin as dean on July 1, though he began work
zation Science, Nature Nanotechnology and the Journal of
at the School on June 1. He succeeds Nicole Woolsey
International Business Studies. He has served on the editorial
Biggart, who announced last September that she is step-
review boards of five academic journals, including the
ping down after six years as dean to return to full-time
Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management
teaching and research.
Review and Organization Science. His research and per-
“Already a gem of a school, the Graduate School of
spective have had more than 330 citations in the media,
Management is positioned for even greater visibility and
including the New York Times, The Economist, The Wall
impact on the state, national and international stages,”
Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Guardian,
Currall said. “My aim is to ensure that the GSM is one of
(London), The Independent (London), Los Angeles Times,
the truly great global business schools.”
Washington Times, Washington Post, Time magazine and
“Steve Currall is the right person at the right time for our Graduate School of Management,” said UC Davis
BusinessWeek. He has been the recipient of $16.9 million in research
Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef. “He is an academic entrepre-
funding, more than 80 percent of it from the National
neur, with an impressive record of achievement in raising
Science Foundation. He is a past member of the U.S. Nano-
visibility and generating resources for his prior universities.
technology Technical Advisory Group, which provided
The School is certain to continue to grow in quality and
input to the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science
stature under his leadership.”
and Technology.
At University College London, Currall served as vice
Currall was listed among “Outstanding Faculty” in
dean of enterprise; founding chair of the Department of
Business Week’s 1997 Guide to Best Business Schools. His
Management Science and Innovation within the Faculty
other honors include Stanford University’s Price Foundation
[Department] of Engineering Sciences; professor of manage-
Innovative Entrepreneurship Educator Award and Ernst
ment science and innovation; founder of UCL Advances,
& Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
an entrepreneurship center; and a member of the UCL
He has served on the boards of BioHouston, Leadership
Enterprise Board, which oversees technology commercial-
in Medicine Inc. and the Nanotechnology Foundation
ization activities for the college.
of Texas.
At the London Business School, he was a visiting profes-
Currall received his bachelor’s degree from Baylor
sor of organizational behavior and entrepreneurship and
University, master’s degree at the London School of
served as faculty co-director of the Institute of Technology.
Economics and doctorate at Cornell University. Before
Before joining University College London and London
attending graduate school, he worked as a professional
Business School, Currall was the William and Stephanie
fundraiser for Baylor University.
Sick Professor of Entrepreneurship at Rice University in Houston. He founded the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship during his tenure. During the five years
Look for an in-depth Q & A with Dean Currall in the Innovator this fall.
of his leadership, the alliance helped to launch more than
U C D AVIS G R A D U AT E S C H OOL OF MANAGEMENT • 11