Karen Marrongelle, PhD, is the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Mathematics and Statistics. As Provost, she provides leadership for academic planning and research advancement, working in collaboration with the deans of CU Denver's schools and colleges to ensure academic excellence, promote robust student outcomes, and support CU Denver's mission as a leading public urban research university.

Prior to her appointment as Provost, Karen was the Chief Science Officer and Chief Operating Officer at the U.S. National Science Foundation, where she oversaw scientific director and operations of the federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering. She also served as Assistant Director of the NSF for Education and Human Resources (EHR), supporting research that enhances learning and teaching to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. 

Prior to joining NSF, Karen was Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University, and a Professor of Mathematics and Statistics. At Portland State, she oversaw departments and programs across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. She also held positions as the Vice Chancellor for Academic Strategies and as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Standards and Collaboration with the Oregon University System. From 2007-09, Karen researched undergraduate mathematics learning and teaching. She served on a rotation as a program officer at NSF and led numerous grants, collaborating with researchers nationally and internationally to improve undergraduate mathematics education and K-12 mathematics professional development.

Karen has a bachelor's degree in mathematics and philosophy from Albright College, a master's degree in mathematics from Lehigh University, and a doctorate in mathematics education from the University of New Hampshire. 

Executive Team