Department of Statistical Science Chair Amy Herring has been named Dean of Natural Sciences and Professor of Political Science Kerry Haynie has been appointed to a second term as Dean of Social Sciences, Dean Gary Bennett announced Tuesday.
In sharing the announcement, Bennett also expressed his gratitude to Susan Alberts, Robert F. Durden Distinguished Professor of Biology, for her several impactful years as Dean of Natural Sciences. Bennett noted that in returning full time to her research, “Susan is modeling all that is best about Trinity’s approach to academic leadership — bringing distinction to both administrative service and scholarly excellence.”
Herring, who will begin as dean on June 1, has been a member of Trinity’s faculty since 2017 and is a former director of undergraduate studies in Statistical Science. The Sara and Charles Ayres Distinguished Professor, she is also a research professor in the Duke Global Health Institute and holds a joint appointment in the School of Medicine as a professor in Biostatistics & Bioinformatics. Herring has held numerous national and international leadership roles in her field, including as chair of the American Statistical Association’s Section on Bayesian Statistical Science, president of the International Society for Bayesian Analysis and member of the board of the International Biometric Society.
Herring’s research interests include the development of statistical methods for longitudinal or clustered data, missing data, complex environmental mixtures, as well as Bayesian methods, latent class and latent variable models, and applications of statistics in population health and medicine. She has received significant recognition for her work, including the American Public Health Association’s Mortimer Spiegelman Award for the best applied public health statistician under age 40.
Herring has chaired the Appointments, Promotion and Tenure Committee, led the Academic Council’s salary survey modeling efforts, and brought deep knowledge of university structures and finances through her service as chair of the University Priorities Committee. “Amy is a valuable member of our academic community not just because of her expertise in statistical science, but also because of her exemplary leadership skills and experiences, Bennett said. “I’m confident she will bring to this role her ability to navigate complex issues, to advocate for key elements of our educational and research missions, and to identify creative solutions.”
As Herring steps into the role, Alberts returns her focus to her strong research program on the evolution of social behavior in mammals. A National Academy of Sciences member, Alberts co-directs the Amboseli Baboon Research project, one of the longest-running studies of wild primates in the world that tracks hundreds of known individual baboons in several social groups over the course of their entire lives.
“As a divisional dean, she has continued to feel the pull of her research and although we will miss her as a member of the leadership team, our highest priority is supporting the scholarly efforts of our colleagues,” Bennett said. “An experienced academic leader, Susan has been an extraordinary partner to me and to our entire leadership team. She has been a consistent and strong voice in support of faculty, staff and students during her service as divisional dean and her contributions have been invaluable.”
Haynie will begin a new term as Dean of Social Sciences on July 1, following three years in the role. He previously served as chair of the Department of Political Science and led Duke’s Academic Council from 2019 to 2021. His research focuses on how underlying structures and practices of American political institutions affect the efforts by African Americans and women to influence the political system. This spring, Haynie added to his many accolades by receiving the 2025 Mac Jewell Enduring Contribution Award of the American Political Science Association’s State Politics and Policy Section for the lasting influence of his seminal 1999 article, “Agenda Setting and Legislative Success in State Legislatures: the Effects of Gender and Race.”
“Kerry’s deep knowledge of Duke and Trinity and his two decades of university experience are great assets to Trinity, especially at this critical juncture, one that presents us with new opportunities for scholarly impact in the social sciences,” Bennett said. “I am thankful he will continue in this role as we look to capitalize on the strengths of the division and extend its influence.”
Trinity’s three academic divisions include a growing number of faculty who are national academy fellows and members, with representation within the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Arts & Letters as well as international academies. Departments and programs across Trinity are nationally ranked and internationally regarded for excellence.
The Division of Natural Sciences encompasses eight departments, three ROTC programs, and affiliations with 10 diverse centers, institutes, schools, and facilities. With 29 majors, 13 minors, and nearly 250 faculty members, the division fosters a rich, interdisciplinary environment where students and faculty in the biological, physical, mathematical, and computational sciences collaborate extensively across Trinity College and the university. The division is home to multiple top-ranked departments, including three that are consistently ranked within the top 10 in the nation: biology, evolutionary anthropology and statistical science.
The Division of Social Sciences includes 11 departments and programs, two certificate programs, and affiliations with 15 centers, institutes, and schools. With 20 majors, 16 minors, and more than 200 faculty members, the division’s highly-ranked departments utilize both quantitative scientific and interpretive humanistic methodologies to study diverse patterns of human behavior, social structures, and cultural change, producing research that serves society. In addition, Duke's interpretive social sciences have distinguished themselves internationally with research addressing important global cultural themes related to identity and belonging, social stratification, cultural dynamics, social change, and well-being and society.