Dr. Verónica Méndez Aragón, program director of the Coastal and Marine Management master’s program, has decided to return full time to research activities and will therefore leave her position as program director this summer. This early announcement gives the University Centre the possibility to advertise the position with good time in advance, which is important for such a highly specialized position.

“I have been given the opportunity to return to the University of Iceland South Iceland Research Centre where I can focus 100% on my research which is my passion,” said Veronica. “While any decision to leave this amazing community is hard, my heart and drive are with ecological research and conservation.”

Veronica has had a very positive effect on the CMM program during her time here. She’s had a strong emphasis on the quality of master’s theses, which is one of the most important tasks of a program director. During her time her Veronica has worked closely with the program director of the parallel program Coastal Communities and Regional Development, Dr. Matthias Kokorsch.

“It has been a pleasure to see, how well these two program directors have worked together,” said Dr. Peter Weiss, Director of the University Centre. “They have worked on their respective program in accordance so the study lines, albeit different, would develop in a perfect cadence. It is invaluable for UW to have two colleagues who act in concert towards a common goal, and it is even better if the common goal is excellent quality of thesis-research.” Veronica was quick to adapt to the role of program director and the University Centre shall miss her. “Of course, it is always a pity to say goodbye to highly qualified staff members, and of course we want to keep staff for many years,” Peter Weiss added. “But staff also develops, personally and professionally, and some turnover is fully natural. I want to look at the positive in it. We gained a highly qualified person in our inner network and I hope she will be back as a teacher, as a supervisor of master's theses or, why not, as a researcher."

Dr. Verónica Méndez Aragón will stay on until the summer and continue to work with students and instructors over the coming months. We expect that a new program director will take on the role no later than at the beginning of the upcoming academic year. For further information about the positions, please visit the job announcement.