Gary Giovino, an internationally renowned authority on tobacco and nicotine in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, has taken on a new role with the school. He was named SPHHP’s associate dean for faculty affairs, effective Feb. 4.

Giovino succeeds Gaspar Farkas, who had served as interim associate dean for faculty affairs since October 2016. In this role, Giovino will oversee the school’s promotion-and-tenure process, and professional development and mentoring, as well as supporting faculty recruitment.

As a result, Giovino has stepped down from his post as chair of the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, which he held for 11 years. Gregory Homish, an associate professor in the department, is serving as interim chair. A search for a permanent chair is underway.

Giovino remains a professor in the department. He is currently developing community-based projects using lifestyle factors, such as exercise and nutrition, to assist in smoking cessation.

Jean Wactawski-Wende, dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions, thanked Giovino for his service as chair, calling him “an exemplary university citizen whose commitment is critical to SPHHP’s success.”

“We look forward to Gary’s continued contributions as a member of our faculty, as well as to his leadership in his new role,” Wactawski-Wende added.

Homish is a psychiatric epidemiologist trained in substance use, mental health, and advanced statistical and research methodology. He joined UB in 2007. He had served as associate chair of the department since 2015.

In addition, Homish served as director of the master of public health program in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior since 2012. He is also a founding director of the Individualized MPH program.

Homish is principal investigator on a five-year project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse examining social and environmental influences on substance use in U.S. reserve soldiers and their spouses.